Prayer Sunday 5 January 2025

Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, You remain faithful forever.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and Your dominion endures through all generations. You are trustworthy in

all You promise and faithful in all You do. Heavenly Father, You are holy and worthy of worship,

glory, honour and praise. Please hear our prayer.

Thank You for Your love, mercy, protection and provision during the past year. Please help us to

leave behind regrets, the sense of failure or disappointment and the mistakes we’ve made. To let

go of old ways and habits. Your Word says we are to forget the former things and not dwell on the

past. You are our burden-bearer. Thank You that your mercies are new every morning and if we

confess our sins and repent You will forgive us and remember those sins no more. Holy Spirit

examine our hearts and convict us of wrong doing.

Loving Father, we want to follow You and do Your will. Help us walk in Your ways and honour

You. As we look ahead to what 2025 might bring, strengthen our hearts to trust that whatever

happens will be for our good and Your glory. You hold this year in Your sovereign hands. The

sinful state of our world makes suffering a certainty but all things are subject to Your authority.

You are all-knowing, ever-present and all powerful, wise, loving, kind and compassionate and

You keep Your promises. Thank You for providing us with Your wisdom and strength and all that

we need for each day. I pray we will draw closer to You and be prayerful, teachable and faithful in

reading Your Word, daily. That we will experience Your Presence in a fresh way, find peace and

joy and receive blessings gratefully as they come from Your hand of grace.

Our confidence is in Your constancy, the Unchanging One. Thank You for listening, caring for us

and answering our prayers in Your perfect time and way.

Lord, the people of Vanuatu are suffering from the loss of lives and the devastation caused by the

recent earthquakes and we bring them before you now. We ask that you supply all they need and

give them protection, comfort and hope as you help them restore and rebuild. We pray for

emotional and spiritual recovery and healing of the trauma so many have suffered. Prompt us to

continue to pray for them and to give, from all that you have given to us.

We pray for the sick and grieving in our church family to feel Your comfort and receive healing. I

pray for Colin Wrigley to have Your peace as he adjusts to living in his aged care facility and

attending a new church, after so many years of living in his home in Epping and being a faithful

member of our church, serving in a variety of areas.

There will be some in our church and community that find January a lonely time or where they

struggle without their regular supports. Give us sensitivity and empathy to reach out and

encourage them.

Thank You God that we are never alone. You put Your Holy Spirit in us to empower us to be all

that You created us to be. We can rely on You to equip and to guide and I pray that in these quieter

days of January we might reflect and be refreshed, ready to serve in Your kingdom wherever You

lead and to share the hope of heaven with those who don’t yet know Jesus. It’s in His Mighty

Name I pray. Amen