Assurance

Eternal God, our Father, we are glad to come here and pray again. Amid the shifting sands of time we feel the need of celebrating your eternity. And with the sure mark of mortality upon us, we so want to hear Jesus saying, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, tho he die, yet shall he live and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die." May this hour be a true means of grace for every one of us. The invitation is given: "Seek ye my face" - May we respond gladly with all our powers: "Thy face, Lord, will I seek".
We hope, O Lord, that we are aware of blessings without number - home and family and country - health of body and the marvels of sight and sound -your Church that evermore lifts holy hands above, offering up on every shore her pure sacrifice of love. For those who have gone before us who are like a cloud of witnesses - and for those now with us running the race together, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. There are many mysteries about life and death and the future, our Father, but keep us true to what we believe and establish us in the faith that our times are in your hands, whatever they may be, pleasing or painful, dark or bright.
W link our weakness with your strength. We know we are held responsible for the life you have given us, but we know too that we cannot go it alone. With all our knowledge, we still stare in the face of the vast unknown; with all we know about living the good life, we still do what we do not want to do and fail to do what we want to do; and with our daily confrontation with evil and death, we still have no answer within ourselves. We praise you that there is an answer - in the revelation of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Keep our eyes fixed upon Him in these confused and troubled times. No matter where we are - in joy or sorrow - in sickness or health - in peace or in turmoil -in assurance or in doubt - in fellowship or in loneliness - help us to hear Him saying, "Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, and you shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
We pray in His name. Amen