The Prayer

by Paul Yap

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, you love.

1 Peter 1

Our Heavenly Father, despite these reassuring words, we live in these unprecedented times engrossed with our concerns, in fear and trepidation. We find ourselves in a dire situation, apparently being threatened by the distant rumbling of Pharaoh’s chariots behind with the roars of a raging sea in front, as we inch forward. We lose track of who is leading and journeying with us. We forget how precious we are to you and that you are the solid rock upon whom we build our lives. We call you Father but we are sometimes imprisoned with a poor imagery of a distant uncaring deity. Instead of the Almighty Sovereign God whom we declare is in control of all things, we wrongly think that you had taken leave and don’t care for us.Father, ordinarily, it is hard for us to live as followers of Jesus. It is harder when we are constantly harassed by the noises from this pandemic. Instead of listening for your voice,we hear the loud ramblings of man, and the awful news of the growing infections and deaths around us. We become more concerned over our future wondering what tomorrow will bring. We fail to take cognisance of what you told us these days will be like and what our tomorrow is. Our faith is challenged and our thinking, become twisted and dulled. We are not living transformed lives instead we have been rendered impotent,conforming to the values and concerns of this fallen world. Lord,we then lose sight of you and your purpose in creating us.We forget how you had lifted us from the mire of our sins and set us apart as your words from Jeremian 1

I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.

Jeremiah 1

We come before you as a church in repentance.In recent weeks, we have been reminded of your love, your holiness and goodness. We earnestly seek your revival to grow us with an impenetrable conviction of your love and sovereignty. So bind our hearts together and teach us to completely surrender our lives to you and your purpose for us. Remind us that as you have all our lives written in the palms of your hand, your hands are in everything that happens, and through the trials we endure,your purposes are being fulfilled.Some of us suffer financial hardships, some have health issues, some unemployed, while others are overwhelmed with uncertainties of the future. Restore our sobriety and help us to see how blessed we are already that you have given us the greatest gift in Jesus Christ and his finished work on the cross. Give us a silent moment each day to remember the truths that we are now privileged to be your people and children of the Heavenly King.It is always been about you and your redemption plan.

So, enable us to live out Christ crucified in our lives to encourage one another echoing the words from this hymm…. “while I draw this fleeting breadth, when mine eyes shall close in death, and when I see thee on the judgement throne, we can all humbly kneel and boldly say Nothing in my hands I bring, but simply to your cross I cling”… and in tears of joy, rejoicing you know my name Lord, You know my name.”
Amen

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