Please use the wearying times as well as the joyous times to grow our faith, to develop our character, and to show the world the power of Your Spirit that raised Christ from the dead and now lives in us. It is sweeter than honey and more precious than gold. We pray for steadfast hearts. Forgive us for filling our homes and our minds with clutter; forgive us for the ways in which our hearts have rested in material possessions; and forgive us for the ways in which our pursuit of stuff—and the maintenance of our stuff—gets in the way of being fully present with people. We are also taught through this psalm that your kingdom will last forever and that you rule throughout all generations. You instruct us and teach us in the way we should go. Rightly we will sing again at the conclusion of our service. Heavenly Father, this morning we are grateful for what this psalm teaches us, that you are our refuge, that you are our fortress, and that anyone can find refuge in you. As I approached 9,500 feet, the climb rate hadn’t slowed, even after reducing power, so I accepted the smooth elevator ride and told Joshua I was going to 11,500. Finally father, as we anticipate the coming of Thanksgiving this week, may we be truly grateful for all you have provided. We thank You that You give us regular reminders of this because we are prone to forget and to think of ourselves at the center of the universe. In our own country, we feel deep divisions of many kinds – between races, between economic classes, between native and immigrant. And so, Lord, amid our society’s individualism, consumerism, busyness, self-centeredness, and relational poverty, restore us to robust Biblical community and fellowship as a church. Heavenly father, Thanksgiving weekend is a fitting occasion to hear this psalm—a strong and compelling call to us to be a thankful people. As David proclaimed, “many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him,” we pray that our Gospel Communities would experience this. We lift them up to you and ask that through the power of the Holy Spirit, you would advance their mission, your mission. Wash us clean once again by the power of the cross. Help us to find rest in your goodness and your provision to give us what we need at the proper time. Father, we also pray for the leaders at our state and national levels. Lord, I pray for those of us right now who are not currently experiencing green pastures and still waters, but the valley of the shadow of death. And Lord, today we pause for a moment to mourn. As the weather changes, If you vacation in Wyoming, chances are you’re heading to a national park. Lord we mourn for lives lost, but we also mourn for your world. We pray that people of different lifestyles and political viewpoints, would set that aside and that the best possible humanity would be evident. Forgive us, Father. And for those of us not yet connected in real community, may You help us to forge the kind of friendships that sharpen us, encourage us, make us uncomfortable, deepen our love for You and our love for our neighbors, and display the glory of Your church. Draw us to yourself, and lead us in your life. And you willingly gave yourself up to those who were out to destroy you, to your mortal enemies who surrounded you, so that you could be the atoning sacrifice for our many sins. We know that the places You long to lead us to are good, that You desire to restore our souls, comfort us, and cause our lives to overflow with Your grace and love. Almighty God, we echo King David’s adoration of you – you are forgiving and good, abounding in love, you are great and do marvelous deeds, you alone are God. They feel the sadness of watching children struggle because of an unhealthy home environment. Thank you, Father, that as followers of Christ, we get to bear your majestic name and be a part of your family. As we approach the summer with many different changes in our rhythms, help us to also have wisdom and discernment on how we spend our time. Mount Hermon stands over 9,000 feet tall and Mount Zion, where the priests served to mediate between God and man, lies 120 miles to the South and only stands at 2,500 feet tall. We confess that we have acted selfishly with our time, our money, and our other resources. We are thankful not only to be welcomed to the house where You live, but to ourselves be the place where Your glory dwells, thanks to Your Spirit living within us. May each person in this room feel valued and accepted. What a mystery you are God, that you can be so big, and yet, so personal. And Father, for the mixed emotions of your people on Mother’s Day. You, the Shepherd of Israel, the One enthroned between the cherubim, did indeed awaken your might and come to save us. May those who follow King Jesus, love their neighbors as themselves. We confess, Lord, that our gratitude does not match your goodness. From the sun, moon, and stars high above us, which we see but cannot comprehend, to the sea creatures far below us that no human eye will ever behold, all are made by you and all are designed to praise you. Help us, as your people, to know and practice our need for one another. When we become distracted, we forget. When we see the condition of our world, full of injustice and conflict, we are tempted to despair. Through Jesus your Son, you have rescued us from the depths of our sin and eternal separation from your presence. As we hear the words of king Solomon in this psalm, we are once again reminded of the kind of leader our hearts desire. We set aside our anxiety for we believe in the resurrection. You, O Lord, shone your light upon us when we were living in and loving the darkness of our self-centeredness. 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