The Pastor’s Corner

Prayer: Our great and gracious God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise your name today because you are good and kind to your people. Throughout all ages, you have proven yourself to be patient and good to us. As we read your Word and observe the many ways in which you cared for your people. Your Word describes the events that prove your faithfulness. You brought your people out of the land of sin and bondage and safely across the Red Sea. You provided their daily bread as they journeyed to that land of promise. There, in that land, you went before them and conquered all their enemies. You patiently tolerated stiff-necked people and gave them a king. Throughout all ages, you continued to labor and work and offer yourself to the church of old. Today, we continue to witness your kindness to undeserving people. You have given us your Son, and through him, we have peace with you. He is our older brother, and he ministers for us today. He is carefully and patiently guiding his church and promises our safe arrival in a better country. We praise you, our God, that though we too wander, we know that your faithfulness to us is new every day. Forgive us, Father, for our tendency to stray. Thank you for being good to us. We pray these things in the name of Christ. Amen.

Prayer: Our God in heaven, you who ordained your Son as the suffering servant who would come, take upon himself our humanity, suffer in all ways that we suffer yet know no sin, we thank you for the labor and ministry of your beloved Son, our Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ. We know that we, like sheep, often go astray. Like David, we bemoan that our sins are ever before us. Yet, we know that your Son, as our High Priest, is patient with us -- more patient than we are with ourselves and others. Your Word tells us that he will not break the bruised reed. That is, he will act tenderly and compassionately towards those he has redeemed. He does not snuff us out, though our light is barely burning. Your Son deals gently with the ignorant and wayward, and these things often characterize our lives. Forgive us, Father, for such a low view of your love for us and a poor understanding of the gospel. May we preach the hope of Christ to ourselves es in times of great sin and struggle. Be merciful, Lord. We pray all of these things in the name of the Savior. Amen.

Prayer: Our Father, we look into your Word, and we take note of how it describes the tendency of our own hearts. We are prone to wander, Lord, we feel it. We are prone to leave the God we love. We are like sheep that often go astray. We mourn that we often do what we know is wrong and do not do what we know is right. Your Son tells us to watch and pray lest we fall into temptation. Yet, we often rush into temptation, forgetting to pray and plead with your Spirit for the face needed to overcome and mortify sin in our life. We are ashamed at how easily we give in to besetting sins and those things that so easily cause us to stumble. We are weak. You are strong. Forgive us, Father. Please help us meditate deeply on your Word and hide it in our hearts that we might not sin against you. We pray these things in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

Everyday Prayer with John Calvin
Scripture: Jeremiah 33:1-9

This passage begins with a brief description of the circumstance of the prophet. 33:1 tells us, "The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard." The reference to the "second time" echoes back to 32:1-2. This passage begins by describing to us the awful difficulty facing the prophet. It reminds us of another man of God who was shut up in prison because he was faithful (See Gen. 39:19-23). As the LORD was with Joseph, he is also with Jeremiah. He has not abandoned his servants to the enemy, and he is mindful of their condition. It is here in this miserable state that the LORD says to Jeremiah, "Call to me and I will answer you" (33:3). The God of the covenant promised that he would hear the prayer of his servant, and he would answer him.