Almighty and most merciful Father, we are thankful that your mercy is higher than the heavens, wider than our wanderings, deeper than all our sin.

Forgive our careless attitudes toward your purposes,

Forgive our envy of those who have more than we have,

our obsession with lust and greed,

our indifference to the treasures of heaven,

our neglect of your wise and gracious law.

Grant us to never lose sight of

The exceeding rebellion of our sin,

The exceeding righteousness of salvation,

The exceeding glory of Christ,

The exceeding beauty of holiness,

The exceeding wonder of grace.

Holy and righteous and just and perfect God, we confess our sins and rely wholly on your grace to save us from your wrath. Make us to know and delight in your Triune perfections; help us to relish and savor the complete sufficiency of who you are. By the power of your Holy Spirit remove the scales from our eyes and the hard calloused from our hearts that we me behold the glorious excellencies of Christ Jesus. May we marvel at the at the riches found in him.

Instruct us and teach us in the way we should go; counsel us with your eye upon us. May your steadfast love surround us because we trust in your eternal Son; make us rejoice as the righteous, shouting for joy as the upright in heart. Fill us with your Holy Spirit that we might magnify you our God and King, and exalt your name together as your holy people.

Father, we pray for Michelle Horton – Give her wisdom as she counsels; help her apply the balm of the gospel to the wounds of others; sustain her by granting her much joy in Christ. We pray for Jim and Laurie Bruce – may their marriage be soaked with gospel displaying love for one another; may serve one another sacrificially and offer forgiveness to one another generously; use their marriage to paint a picture of your covenant love. We also pray for Preeta – give her a deep and abiding joy in Christ Jesus; cause her to hope in heaven, not the circumstances of this earth.

We pray not just for our own, but for other gospel congregations here in DC. Grant the pastors at Redeemer Arlington much grace and wisdom as they seek to shepherd their flock and lead them to maturity. Use the ministry of Church of the Advent and Church of the Resurrection to boldly proclaim Jesus. We pray for the pastors of these churches – that they would walk in integrity, pursue holiness and live lives above reproach all that you might graciously hallow your name in and through the churches they shepherd.

We pray that you would raise up faithful leaders around the world the make and mature disciples. For the country of Haiti, we plead with you to increasingly build up the pastors there that they might feed your people with strong food. For the pastors in Mongolia striving to train men and women in the truths of the gospel that they might send them to restricted areas – grant these people much grace and endurance with joy.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise you for you alone are worthy of our praise. Magnify your worth; exalt your name; great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. You are the fairest, greatest, first of all objects. When we think upon and converse with you, ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up; ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed; ten thousand refreshing joys spread over our hearts. O our God, increase our love for you, and increase our joy in you through time and eternity. Amen.