PRAYING

…for the sins of the Church!

Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? (Psalm 85:4-6).

God, we see ourselves almost exclusively as disconnected individuals. We know we have an account in heaven, a record. But we may fail to see that our church has a ledger as well, as does our city and our nation. Even if we are righteous before You as individuals, we stand as a part of groups that have sinned. We have failed to gather and ask for Your mercy. We have failed to stand before You collectively as churches and cities. A city-wide revival demands a city-wide reckoning with You. We humbly come as intercessors, as Abraham did in behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah, and we ask You to send not what our cities deserve, but what our cities need – a great awakening. Do what You have done before in our land. Awaken us. Turn us back from our sinful ways. March through the land and show Yourself gloriously alive. Draw sinners to the cross. Soften the hardest of hearts. Make believers out of skeptics. Turn persecutors into persuasive advocates of the gospel. Let Your church be glorious, like light in the darkness. Let it be noble, full of love and grace for hungry hearts with soiled souls. We repent for sins that may have prevented a city-changing revival. Come, Lord. We need You. Our unchurched neighbors need You. Our prayerless schools need You. Our city needs You. I need You. Amen