A prayer based on 2 Peter 2:10-3:9

<aside> 🙏🏻 We praise you, our great and glorious God, That we can know you. Not just know that you exist. But know you as our God. That we can know your wonderful names, majestic attributes, sovereign decrees, and mighty works. We can know you as Father, Son, and Spirit. Because you have spoken through the Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles. Revealing yourself, and your salvation to us in Jesus Christ.

Thank you for all those faithful teachers, past and present, who have preached your Word to us, who have reminded us what is of first importance. That Christ died for our sins so we can be forgiven. That He rose again to give us eternal life. And that He will return to judge the living and the dead - saving His people and destroying His enemies fully and finally. Father, we long for that day, when your Son returns. Assure our hearts by your Spirit that this day will arrive, and may we be daily disappointed that it hasn’t yet, because our desire is to see Him face to face. May the thought of Jesus’ return fill us with joy. The joy of being with Him in the new heavens and new earth, where nothing that can spoil it will be present. Not sin, sickness, suffering, sadness and sorrow. Not the devil, or even death itself.

Yet it grieves us that there are those we know who are facing the judgment coming to your enemies, because they have rejected the offer of salvation held out to them in the gospel. We long for family members, friends, neighbours, colleagues to be saved. For those in our community we rub shoulders with and are reaching out to. For those from other parts of our nation and from all nations who are currently dead in their sins. Lord, we know that you are a God who doesn’t want any to perish but all to come to repentance. We pray that your Spirit would work in our hearts that this would be our desire as well. And that by having this desire we would be stirred to pray for those who are lost, and to give reasons to them for the hope we have, and they can have for the future, if they turn to Christ. We praise you that you are full of patience, and your delay of bringing judgment upon the earth means that there is still time. Time for people to repent and believe in Jesus and be saved from the wrath to come, by His precious blood and perfect righteousness. For those who attend our gatherings but whose faith is not in the only Saviour, we plead with you to be gracious to them. We pray for those who because of the influence of Christian parents or friends growing up have been restrained from sinning in scandalous ways, but who have never trusted in Christ. Would they realise that their good life does not meet God’s standard and will not make them acceptable in His sight. Lord Jesus seek and save those who are lost we pray. As we consider your patience, we are so grateful that your delay gave us the opportunity to experience your amazing rescue.

And Father, we lament that in these last days, we are surrounded by those who make fun of their sin and your salvation. These people have no desire to live according to your commands. They are more interested in following their own desires, as we once were. And we confess that at times we are envious of them. In our foolishness and weakness, we are drawn to their way of life and an excessive love of the good things of the world. Holy Spirit, help us to see that what you have in store for those who endure to the end, is so much better than anything on offer now. We are also distressed that false teachers have wormed their way into local churches, and are by the error they promote duping your people to believe that sin is not as serious as your Word tells us it is. May this not happen in this local church, and would your faithful people in church where this has happened, be given the spiritual sight and courage to spot and silence these teachers. Give your people wherever they may be found such an appetite for the word of truth, that they would seek out faithful teachers whose instruction, guidance, and encouragement brings refreshment to their souls. We ask this for ourselves too.

Amen.

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