A prayer based on John 1:6-9.

<aside> 🙏🏻 We praise You our God that the true light that gives light to everyone has come into the world. That Jesus the true light came into this dark world. That He came to be our Saviour. That He came to be our King. And He came to give light. To make You known. To expose our sin. And to bring us into relationship with You.

We give You thanks that this unbelievable news about Christ has been announced to us by witnesses. For sending people to proclaim the truth about who the light is, and what He has done to save a people for Himself, so that we might believe and by believing have life in His name.

We are grateful for the witness of John the Baptist, who announced that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, that He is the One who baptises with the Holy Spirit, filling us with Your very presence, and that He is the Son of God. For the Gospel writers, who have provided a record of His testimony, but also eyewitness accounts of what Jesus said and did; who testify to His perfect and righteous life, death on the cross as a ransom for many, and that when the women visited the tomb, the stone had been rolled away, the body was gone, because He had risen from the grave. And we are full of gratitude for all those who have continued to make known what they know to be true about the true light based on the reliable testimonies found in Your Word.

For those who have taught us the Word: Parents who read the Bible at bedtime or at dinner table; Sunday School teachers who simply explained the gospel to us; Friends who invited us to church to hear about some who had transformed their lives and patiently answered questions that we had; Pastors and preachers who Sunday by Sunday faithfully opened the Scriptures and showed us Christ; Evangelists who passionately spoke of our need to be rescued from the wrath of God that is coming. For all those whom You used to bring us to faith in Jesus, we give You our thanks.

Help us, we pray, by Your Spirit, to be faithful witnesses ourselves. To testify that the light has come and that He gives light. To point people to the Lord and what He has done. To speak of the wonder of what it means to be rescued by Him. To not hold back from the uncomfortable parts of the message: that judgment is real and repentance of sins is necessary. To call people to trust in Jesus and be saved. Because Lord, it is our great desire that sinners be saved, rebels be rescued, and unbelievers believe. Would we see that happen? Would you do that marvellous work before our eyes? Would our labour for You not be in vain but produce fruit?

Lord Jesus, build Your church and extend Your kingdom in this community and beyond through our witness about You.

Amen.

</aside>