Learning the lessons of history

Following on from last weeks prayer, here is another prayer, flowing from our passage for this morning (Acts 7:17-53).

God of history

We praise you for the way in which you have led your people all through history.    This morning, we thank you for Moses.  Prophet, leader, rescuer.  We are amazed at the way you called him, at 80 years old and used him to bring your people out of slavery in Egypt to the land of promise.  A land flowing with milk and honey.  Your gift to them.  Your blessing on them.

We thank you for your leaders down through history.  For Moses and Joshua, David and Solomon.  For prophets, who fearlessly spoke your word to your people.  We thank you for leaders in your church today.  For those who minister to us, and serve within your church.   For ministers and elders, small group leaders, the Footsteps team and man who serve in practical ways.

Above all, we thank you for Jesus.  For the rescue he provides for us.  And the word he speaks to us.

God of grace

We fail to learn the lessons of history.  Generation after generation we fall into the same error.  We commit the same sins.

Forgive us for our refusal to obey you, for rejecting your son Jesus, for setting our heart on lesser things.   We are sorry for finding our satisfaction in work and family, in our hobbies and relationships.  We are sorry for treasuring our bank account balance and our homes, more that we treasure you Jesus. Forgive us to resisting your Hoy Spirit.  Refusing to bend our heads to you in prayer.  For reading or listening to your word, but failing to hear what you are saying to us.

God of covenant

We thank you that you stick with your people.   Continue to work in us.  Mould our hearts, shape our lives.   Cause us to treasure you above all things.  Open our hears to hear what you are saying to us.  Make us bold in following after you. May we see your glory.  May we trust your word.  May we rest in you

In your son, our Rescuer's name we pray,

Amen.

  And here's the quote from John Stott.

Change is painful to us, especially when it affects our cherished building and customs, and we should not seek change merely for the sake of change.  Yet true Christian radicalism is always open to change.  It knows that God has bound himself to his church (promising he will never leave it) and to his word (promising that it will never pass away).  But Gods church means people not buildings, and Gods word means Scripture not traditions.  So long as these essentials are preserved, the buildings and the traditions can if necessary go.  We must not allow them to imprison the living God or to impede his mission in the world.