SCRIPTURE. REFLECTION. PRAYER FOR OUR CITY.
Let’s pray
for Memphis.
join us in lifting up the city we love, block by block.
THE PRAYER JOURNAL
Prayers for Memphis
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Hate What is Evil
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ” Romans 12: 9-12 After the assassination…
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“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ” Romans 12: 9-12
After the assassination attempt on former President Trump, may we take a step back and inspect our own hearts. We mourn for the victims of the Bethel rally. Thank you for sparing the lives of President Trump and others. It could have been worse. Love us in our trouble understanding the shooter and his actions. Lord, even the shooter was made in Your image. How are we to respond or pray for his soul? I don’t know Father, but we trust in You.
Lord, forgive us of our sin. We try to make this world ours, but it’s not. You created it but we caused the fall. We live with the consequence daily. Tonight, we lift up our nation, not just Memphis, and the many people who seek public service, to you. We ask that you protect them. We ask that you lead us in supporting and disagreeing with respect and dignity.
Lord, bridle our tongues. Transform our hearts. Cover us with Your grace. May we elect men and women who seek You first. We face serious challenges in our city. Crime. Poverty. Broken homes. Addiction. Human trafficking. We cannot change Memphis. We cannot save Memphis.
But You can.
Lord, work in Mayor Young’s administration. Be present in City Hall. Be in the City Council’s chambers. Be in the County Commission’s meeting place. Place authority in men and women who want to make this city better and are apostles of the Kingdom. Protect those running for office in the coming elections. Guide them in their decision-making. Lord, allow them to leverage the resources of the government to heal our community.
That’s a large ask. Lord, may we walk beside them. May we not be content to complain from our home, but co-labor for the betterment of our neighbor. Elevate those that need to be elevated as leaders. Lord, place Your anointing on the heads of many in this city.
Amen.
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Prayer for the Righteous
9 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9 Lord, encourage the righteous. Build them up. Sustain and encourage them. May their light not grow dim. Amen.
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9 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9
Lord, encourage the righteous. Build them up. Sustain and encourage them. May their light not grow dim.
Amen.
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Psalm 112
Psalm 112[a] 1 Praise the Lord.[b] Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. 2 Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and…
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Psalm 112[a]
1 Praise the Lord.[b]
Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
who find great delight in his commands.2 Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
7 They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn[c] will be lifted high in honor.10 The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.Lord, encourage those who are doubting their place in this city. Open our hearts to the Holy Spirit, that we may be used for growing Your kingdom. Don’t forget Memphis. Inspire it. In Christ’s name, amen.
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Breathe On Us Breath of God
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God. Micah 6:8 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up Galatians 6:9 Father…
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He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly[a] with your God.Micah 6:8
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up
Galatians 6:9
Father God, thank you for the men and women running sports leagues for children. Thank you for parents and grandparents diving kids to and from practices. Thank you for coaches giving their time and knowledge, from fundamentals to universal truths. Thank you for concession stand workers and parks and rec officials chalking lines. Thank you for sport and lessons of team work and sportsmanship taught in real time. Thank you for the relief the games bring, where all troubles outside of the field are forgotten for a moment and the players and coaches allow themselves to be present. Lord, may these games be chances to build up our children and spark joy.
Apart from these games Lord, we confess our weariness. We want the guilty to be found, held, and justice to be served. We don’t want to live in fear in our city. Encourage us Lord. Show us the good tonight and tomorrow. May the Watermelon Man’s killers be captured tonight without injury to anyone else. May we seek the good of our neighbor.
I ramble but cry out. Good people, at least as we would define it, are tired Lord. They are weary. I’m weary. How can we change this city from one of darkness to light? Not by our own will, Lord, but only by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Come quickly, Father. Make Your name known. Forgive us of our sins. Embolden Your children to live out gospel truth. May we seek You first and love our neighbor. Protect us from the evil one. Give us our daily bread. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
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He’s Here
“34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.” Matthew…
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“34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.” Matthew 14:34-36
Lord, may we know when Your presence is with us. May we tell our friends. We pray for a divine visit in Memphis. Lord, as Juneteenth is recognized, may we see the plight of all of Your children. Too often, Your people have closed their eyes to those outside of their tribe.
We believe in the power of Your holy name. In Christ’s name, amen.