125th

Today at my church we held services for the 125th anniversary of ministry on the church property in Croydon. I was asked to pray in the evening service with thanks for the history of the church. I chose to modify David's prayer in 2 Samuel 7. Here is the text of my prayer.


Who are We, O Sovereign LORD, and what is this church, that you have brought us this far?
And now, Sovereign LORD, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving us a future, of your desire to see us prosper and not to harm us!
Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign LORD? What more can we say?
You know what we are really like, Sovereign LORD. For the sake of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have shown them to us.
How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you--there is no other God. We have never even heard of another god like you!
What other people on earth are like your people? What other people, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to sin to be your own people? You have made a great name for yourself when you rescued your people from Sin and Death.
You have performed awesome miracles of salvation in your Son Jesus, and amongst us by the Holy Spirit. You have made us your people forever, and you, O LORD, have become our God.
And now, O LORD God, do as you have promised concerning your Son Jesus. May His name be honored forever so that all the world will say, 'The LORD Almighty is God’. And may your people, the church, prosper as they declare His praises.
O LORD Almighty, God and Father of our Lord Jesus, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer because you have revealed that you will build your church, and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it! For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things us.
And now, may it please you to bless this church, St James, our family and your people here. For when you grant a blessing to your servants, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!