Pray the Scriptures, March 31

Luke 19:47-20:26

Lord Jesus,

We affirm that you are the specially loved and only begotten Son of God, and that you are worthy of all honor, respect, and worship. We affirm that you are the capstone, the cornerstone, even though the builders of your day rejected you.

We pray together for every member of our families and for every man, woman, and child in our city and nation, that you will bring them to the place where they understand that you are that cornerstone.

We pray that we will all learn the sobering truth that we all must be crushed, either by throwing ourselves upon you in humility and repentance, or by resisting in stubbornness and rebellion until the Rock falls upon us. May we be among those who fall upon you in brokenness and faith.

We see here how the enemies of truth sought to trap you into saying something which they could use against you. We pray today for spiritual and political leaders who speak your truth. Those leaders also have enemies scrutinizing every word they speak. We pray that you will give them your skill and wisdom to avoid these traps.

Lord, you teach us here that we are to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to give to God what is God’s. As the portrait and the inscription of Caesar were on each coin, so you have engraved your portrait and inscription on the soul of each man. We bear in ourselves your very image. May each of us give back to you our very selves as that which belongs to you.

We pray for our family members and for every man, woman, and child in our city and nation, that they too will each be prompted to give to you what belongs to you, their very selves.

This we ask in your name, amen.