For the 3rd and final day of the Three Days of Prayer, we focus on vision. Pray that the Holy Spirit will again move through the hearts and minds of leaders and pastors that God’s vision for His church might be revealed and fulfilled. This is a time of prayer for renewal, revival and encouragement. Pray for God’s vision.

Here is a prayer to end your Thursday:

Gracious God, We pray You to watch over all who serve you in every land and every place. Guard all who carry Your Gospel into remote places at great cost. Strengthen those who suffer and are persecuted for Your name’s sake. Bless those who preach, teach, counsel, and administer in the name of Christ. Multiply the fruits of the labor of all who confess Your name before men. Imbue all Your people baptized in Christ with devotion, love, and zeal. Enable all Your adopted children to serve Your will in the variety of their vocations, arts, and crafts, that others may see their good works and glorify You through Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.

The prayer from Thursday morning:

With the rising sun we come to You, Lord God, at the beginning of this uncharted day. Make Your Word a lamp to our feet and a light to our way. By Your Spirit help us to make the right choices in life, to lead others in paths pleasing to You, and always to reveal the mind of Christ. Fill our hearts with compassion for the straying and lost, that by Your grace we may lead them to the cross of our beloved Redeemer. Look with favor upon the preachers and teachers of the Gospel as they proclaim Christ to the nations.

Bless our missionaries and all frontline workers in their efforts to spread the Gospel throughout the world. Give them courage in the face of danger, strength in their weakness, and encouragement when the harvest of Your Word is slow to appear. Keep their families safe from harm, and fill them with joy for the task they share. Grant the unbelieving grace to accept in faith the message of heavenly peace in Christ. Increase our interest in and support of the work of evangelizing the world. For the sake of Jesus, whose witnesses we are. Amen.

Today is also the day that 11 people from the Augustana District, including Pastor Paul Knudson from Faith Lutheran, leave for a mission trip to Ethiopia, where they will serve and learn from the Tabor congregation.  Join us in praying for the trip:

Heavenly Father, loving Son, and enabling Spirit;

Guide the paths of the Augustana District group as they travel to Ethiopia. Grant them favorable weather, warm welcomes, and protection from the unrest in South Sudan. May the power of your Word be evident in Pastor Paul’s proclamation at their Sunday worship. May the days visiting the remote areas inspire us and help us to understand the Tabor congregation’s zeal for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Bless this time of building a partnership between our Augustana District churches and the Tabor congregation. May this relationship bring all of us growth and inspiration. Grant that meetings in Addis Ababa with other Church leaders will cause us to rejoice in the miracles God is doing with the modest help from us, his servant people.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

What are you praying for today? Comment on this post, comment on our Facebook page, or  tweet @FaithLutheran. Look for more prayers to come as the 3 Days of Prayer continue, Jan. 7-9.