Father,
According to your great mercy, you have caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us, who by your power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed at the last time. Thank you. In this we rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, we have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of our faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus. Though we have not seen Jesus, we love him. Though we do not now see Jesus, we believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of our faith, the salvation of our souls.
Therefore please enable us to prepare our minds for action, may we be sober-minded, and please help us set our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus. It is easy for us to put misplaced hope elsewhere.
You tell us that we, as your graciously saved people from every nation, tribe, people and language, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for your own possession, so that we may proclaim the excellencies of you who called us out of darkness and into your marvelous light. Once we were not a people, but now we are your people; once we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy. Thank you for this mercy. Please equip us and propel us to proclaim your excellencies in all things.
As sojourners and exiles in this world, please enable us to abstain from the passions of our sinful flesh, which wage war against our soul. May we please put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Please help us keep our conduct in our communities honorable. May you enable this of all your people living around the globe, in every nation, tribe, people and language, especially where your children live in danger because of their beliefs.
Lord, please come quickly. But until you do, please keep us and sustain us and use us. We thank you that we can publicly pray together, saying:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be 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.