King Jesus,

We come as Your people purchased by the blood of Your precious and eternal Son. We come broken, desperate and needy. A virus has reminded us that we are not in control. Tragic deaths, senseless violence, and systemic racism have shown us the evil that lurks in our hearts and then shows up on our streets. The gods of mammon and sports and entertainment have been diminished. But Jesus, You live, You reign, You intercede for us at the right hand of the Father … and we need You. We want people to see You in Your glory–the glory of Your death in our place and the glory of Your exaltation as the Name Above All Names and the only Name by which people may be saved!! 

Lord Jesus, may we decrease so that You increase!

Forgive us for our pride and egoistic ways. Forgive us for tolerating sins that crucified Your Son. Forgive us for unbelief that shows up in prayerlessness. Forgive us for silence over the things that break Your heart–pervasive lostness, extreme poverty, ingrained racism, abortion, injustice, and a complacent Church. 

Find us empty, broken and open … for more of You and for a fresh filling of Your Spirit. Do not let us simply be content with a return to “normal” but rather let us aspire to a new normal that You promise–Your life living through our bodies and shining through the good works You prepared in advance for us to walk in. 

Let us not be content with less than You promised and with less than You have already accomplished in Your death and resurrection.

Let us be the type of church that You can use, bless, and favor in order that Your Son might be exalted, that more people might see Your glory in Him and turn to Him as their own Savior, Lord, and King. 

Let us be more fully Your people–holy, consecrated, marked, sealed, chosen, sent, beloved–that we may proclaim Your praises passionately, share your Gospel boldly, make disciples of Your Son consistently, and be Your church faithfully.

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us–to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.