Praying for Gospel Centrality

The following prayer was one we put together for last month’s 5(hundred) Hours of Prayer to prepare for the launch of re:Generātion. I’ve been using it my devotions almost daily. It captures well the heart of what our aim in this, and all, ministry should be.

Gracious Father, make re:Generātion a gospel-centered community committed to conveying and communicating the centrality of Christ to the gospel and the gospel to all of life.

Guard and guide the hearts of both its members and its leaders for we are all prone to follows other gods—idols of our own making and design.

Grieve us, I pray, in those times when we forsake you, with a profound and godly sorrow and lead us in authentic lives marked by true repentance (2 Cor. 7:9).

Cause us to turn away,
From seeking our own good,
From exalting our own names,
From loving our own lives,
From playing our own gods,
From saving our own souls.

Be gracious, O Lord, according to your loving-kindness; according to the greatness of your compassion blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly from their iniquity, and cleanse them from their sin!

Create within us clean hearts and renew right and steadfast spirits within us (Ps. 51:1-2, 10).

Make us righteous by your grace as a gift received by faith. Do not allow us to trust in our own works but in you, the God who justifies the ungodly through the redemption that is in Christ (Rom. 4:5).

Root us deeply, Father, in the reality that having been baptized into Christ we have been baptized into His death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through your own powerful glory, we too might walk in newness of life.

Unite us to your Son that sharing in His death we might also share in His life-giving resurrection.

Through the cross, dispel the power of sin and set us free from its slavery.

As Christ himself died to sin and now lives His life to you, so too teach us to consider ourselves in all our parts dead to sin but alive to you in union with your Son.

May sin, therefore, have no dominion over us, for we are no longer under the law, but under the reign of grace (Rom. 6:1-14).

And finally, Father, having experienced your gracious, gospel love, may we love in return.

Make us agents of your grace, sent out in the name of Christ to seek and save the lost.