For Your Great Name’s Sake
IMMANUEL: GOD WITH US
…They will call him Immanuel—
which means,
“God with us.”[1]
We worship You on this final prayer call before the National Observance of the National Day of Prayer as our Immanuel. We stand in awe that You would leave Heaven’s throne, confine Yourself to a woman’s womb for nine months, submit to the human birth process, then enter time and space in order to be with us! Because You love us! We have seen Your glory in the face of Jesus Christ, full of grace and truth.[2] Who could imagine such love that devised redemption’s plan? And You did this when we were still in our sin and rebellion against You! We cannot keep silent! We worship You! We shout Your names! We praise You! We thank You! We glorify You! We love You! And we know we can face whatever this day holds, and whatever the next day holds, because we face it with You.
We are not alone in these dark and dangerous days. You are with us! And You are our inside God! In these days of increasing chaos and confusion, anger and anarchy, division and dissension, fear and frustration we turn our faces towards the sky. We fix our eyes on Jesus. We bow our hearts before the Cross. And in a world of fake news, we open our mouths to proclaim the Good News of hope for all because of who You are and what You have done.
You have redeemed us with the precious blood of Your Son. You have given us eternal life in His Name. You have blessed us with every spiritual blessing. You have opened Heaven’s door and invited all to enter through faith in Him. You have given us living Hope for today and for tomorrow. You have given us deep peace in our hearts that flows like a river underneath all the turmoil of our lives. You have given us joy that doesn’t depend on our circumstances but is centered on who You are.
Blessed Immanuel, You are with us. Don’t let us succumb to oppression, worry, or fear that distracts and diverts us from proclaiming the Good News. In a world of lonely, frightened people, give us an enlarged heart for a lost and dying world…for people You love…for Your Gospel…for Your Son…for Your Word…for You. Use us…use me…to make an eternal difference in the lives of people all around us—and through them, an eternal difference in our nation.
We humbly, boldly ask that You give us the attention of our nation through our friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates, even our enemies, so that people see our example and…
…They want to know You because they know us.
…They place their faith in You because we are trustworthy.
…They believe You because of what we say, and the way we say it.
…They know You love them because we love them.
…They know You can give them victory over sin because we demonstrate it.
…They have hope because we are so genuinely confident.
…They come to You for freedom from the power of sin because we speak the Truth…in love.
…They have peace because we are not afraid.
…They look to You as the solution for what’s wrong because we are looking to You. Now.
Compel us to come back to the Cross and lead others there by our own example. Grow us up into men and women who reflect You in all we say and do.
O Holy God…beloved Immanuel… look on Your people who are called by Your Name. Hear our prayers. Forgive our sin. Heal our land. Not for our own credit, but so that the world may know that our God is God, and You answer the prayers of Your people when they cry out to You.
On this month before the National Day of Prayer National Observance, send down Your Spirit in fullness as we pray! Captivate us by Your love! Rend our hearts with deep conviction and sorrow for our sin! Draw us back to the foot of the Cross. Plunge us beneath the fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins. Then raise us up to live our lives filled with Your Spirit. By Your grace. In Your power. For Your glory. To proclaim the Good News of the Gospel. Until our faith becomes sight and we see You face to face!
For Your Great Name’s Sake.
Amen