Pray the Scriptures, June 27
Nehemiah 9:22-37
Lord God,
In the name of Jesus, I bring myself and ______________________ before you this day. By the work of your Spirit, may we be people who obey you and submit to you. I pray that we will never put your law behind our backs, but instead honor those who bring your word to us. In your compassion, be a deliverer for us when we are oppressed, and rescue us from all our enemies.
I pray that you will hear from heaven when we cry out to you, and deliver us time after time according to your mercies. We choose to humble ourselves and obey your ordinances, believing that by these a man will live if he obeys them. Please be patient with us and admonish us by your Spirit.
You are a great, mighty, merciful, and awesome God, who keeps your covenant of steadfast love. Do not let our hardship and distress seem trifling in your eyes. In all things, you are just and act faithfully. In your great mercy, we ask you not to abandon us. May we enjoy your great goodness.
We pray for our nation today. We thank you for the spacious and fertile land you have given to us. You have made our sons as numerous as the stars in the sky. We have eaten to the full, have become well-nourished, and have reveled in your great goodness. We have enjoyed your goodness in the large and rich land you have set before us.
Yet, we confess that we have also become disobedient as a people and have rebelled against you. We confess that we have cast your law behind our backs, have acted presumptuously, and have not obeyed your commands. Instead, we have sinned against your rules for living.
You have dealt faithfully with us, but we have acted wickedly toward you. We have turned a stubborn shoulder to you and stiffened our necks against you. Even our political and spiritual leaders have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and warnings.
We pray that you will be patient with us, admonish us by your Spirit, and turn our hearts back to you. Please hear us from heaven when we turn to you and cry out to you. We pray that we will serve you and turn from our evil ways, and that you, out of your great compassion and mercy, will forgive us and deliver us.
In the name of Jesus, I pray these things. Amen.