Lord, we confess that Jesus Christ is our great High Priest. As someone must lead us into your presence, as someone must go before us, we know that Jesus is at your right hand and opens the door so that we might enter into the place of Your throne. We know that You hear our prayers and we know that You will answer our every request.

Lord, we need sympathy. We need to know that you understand us and look upon us with mercy and love. We need Jesus to present our case before You. We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are yet without sin. Therefore, we come before you today to draw near with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. Lord today is that time that we need Thee. We need Thee every hour

Lord, the fall of Adam put all of us into days of labor and pain. We labor against the temptations of this world. We find pain even in the midst of joy. Sickness and age attack our bodies. Our spirits are not free from discouragement and depression. Christians are not exempt from the common frailties of life.

Yet, Lord, of all people, we have reason to be a joyful people. You are aware of everything. You never slumber nor sleep. Your eye is on the sparrow. And how more important are we than the sparrow? If you know the number of hairs on our heads, then surely you know of the disappointment last week, the cross words spoken to us or even by us. Surely, you know the strain and the pressure of making a living and feeding a family. Surely, you know our fears and our anxiety. Surely you know of the difficult decisions we must make. There is not a tear from our eye that escapes Your notice.

O Lord, even more mysterious, You have ordained whatsoever comes to pass. We are here in this place this very day by your sovereign decree. You have decreed our last name, the color of our eyes, the length of our arms, and even the prints on our fingers. Nothing escapes your express purpose for us. You have already decreed the day we will die. Man makes his plans, but God directs his steps.

Let us not live like the pagans who acclaim all to chance or to some kind of meaningless destiny. No, we confess that all the details of life are in Your hands, ordained for a purpose even from the foundation of the world.

Lord, help us to see that even trial and temptation are meant to sanctify us. We cannot sanctify ourselves. We have not the will, nor the power to grow in grace. Even reading our Bibles every day will not do it. Even sitting under the preaching of the word every Sunday will not do it. Even spending time in prayer will not do it. Without the travail of hardship and the anguish of distress, we really would be rather worthless people.

But now, O Lord, we can give comfort to others with the comfort whereby we have been comforted. Not only shall we speak of the peril, but also we shall speak of the One who delivers us. We have set our hope on Thee and Thou has not disappointed us. We have prayed for those in pain and anguish and you have heard our prayers so that many thanks may be given by many persons for the favor bestowed by You. The Lord is praised. Thanks be unto God who gives us grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord, help us to know the blessing of Your forgiveness. How miserable we are when we sin. How cast down are we when we do what we know is wrong. Lord, we cannot live with guilt hanging over us like a large rock ready to fall on us. We need to know the sweetness of forgiveness. Give us a greater faith in the sufficiency of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Lord, give us a good conscience. We strive to keep a good conscience. To lose a good conscience is to be like a ship wrecked in the ocean. It is to be delivered over to Satan. Lord, help us to be bold as a lion when other men flee. Only by maintaining a good conscience can we be truly free to enjoy You and your people. Lord, deliver us from gossip. Deliver us from destroying the reputation of other men. Deliver us from secret sins. Give us the joy of forgiving others as you have forgiven us. Let not bitterness or rancor be named among us.