Father,
You are merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. You keep steadfast love and forgive iniquity and transgression and sin. You are just. Out of your character you showed your love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. If, while we were your enemies, we were reconciled to you by the death of your Son, much more, now that we are reconciled to you, shall we be saved by Jesus’ life and his gracious gift of imputed righteousness. Thank you for this abundant and undeserved mercy.
Please help us as we engage with our earthly enemies. Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, so that we may be children of you, our Father in heaven. This sounds noble and dignified and gracious and good, and it is; but we confess that it is difficult to put into practice, and we don’t always know what it should look like or feel like. Please help us in this regard. Please give us wisdom, perseverance, discernment, grace and steadfastness. Please enable us to be your faithful children and disciples, who speak and act in such a way as to proclaim the good news of your gospel.
We pray this in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed by Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.