God of Mercy,
You are the Lord and there is no other. We acknowledge that, from the rising to the setting of the sun, you are the only God. You form light and darkness; you bring prosperity and allow disaster; you, the Lord, do all these things. Thank you for your grace and mercy and your Spirit which is always wooing us and calling us to deeper intimacy with you. Today we pray for the prodigals among us - those who have known you as Lord, Savior, and Christ, but have either purposely or inadvertently drifted away from living life in communion with you. We pray for healing for those who have been hurt by people within your Church. We pray for igniting of faith fires of those whose spiritual light has burned dim. And we pray for repentance and restoration to be upon those who have willfully chosen to turn their back on you. Awaken the Prodigals today, Holy Spirit, so they realize they are wretched, pitiful, naked, blind, and poor without you. May the scales inhibiting prodigals from relationship with you and your Church fall from their eyes - scales of indifference, insolence, arrogance, unforgiveness, hopelessness, anger, willfulness, sin and so much more. May your Spirit and your Church reach out in love to convict them of their sin and help them to turn from their fleshly and earthly life. Cause them to turn and run toward their compassionate Father in Heaven who will welcome them with open arms of love and grace and restore them into fellowship in the Body. We know you are patient with each of us, not wanting any to perish, and wanting all to come to salvation. So, we pray your salvation would spring up from the ground, you would rain down your righteousness to the earth, and all the beloved Prodigals would come home. For the glory and honor and in the power of your name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
"I am the Lord, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
people may know there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the Lord, do all these things." (Isaiah 45:5-7)
"Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate." (Luke 15:12-24)
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
"You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see." (Rev. 3:17-18)
"Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again." (Acts 9:18)
"“You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord, have created it." (Isa. 45:8)
Lord, rend the heavens and come down
Seek the lost and heal the lame
Jesus, bring glory to Your name
All of creation waits and groans
Lord, we've heard of Your great fame
Father, cause all to shout Your name
Stir up our hearts, oh God
Open our spirits to awe who You are
Put a cry in us so deep inside
That we cannot find the words we need
We just weep and cry out to You"
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