Lord, we come to You as sinners. May we never forget our Saviour - the Lord Jesus Christ (prayers based on Ezekiel 29 - 31)..

Ezekiel 29:1-21

Lord, in Your dealings with Egypt, we see both Your wrath - ‘Egypt will become a desolate wasteland’ - and Your mercy - ‘At the end of forty years... I will restore the fortunes of Egypt’ (Ezekiel 29:9,13-14). Your wrath is Your response to Egypt’s pride - ‘Because you said, “The Nile is mine; I made it”, therefore I am against you’ (Ezekiel 29:9-10). In Your merciful restoration, You place Your restraint on Egypt’s pride - ‘It shall be the most lowly of the kingdoms, and will never again exalt itself above the other nations’ (Ezekiel 29:15). Lord, we come to You as sinners. We confess our sins, praying, ‘In wrath, remember mercy.’ You save us by ‘Your mercy.’ Your way of salvation - ‘through Jesus Christ our Saviour’ - is a constant rebuke to our pride: ‘This is not your own doing. It is the gift of God’ (Habakkuk 3:2; Titus 3:4-6; Ephesians 2:8).

Ezekiel 30:1-26

‘The day of the Lord is near... A sword will come against Egypt... The day of Egypt’s doom is sure to come’ (Ezekiel 30:3-4,9). Teach us, Lord, not to take You lightly. Show us that we can’t do what we like and get away with it. We must not ‘trample the Son of God under foot.’ We must not ‘treat Christ’s blood as an unholy thing.’ We must not ‘insult the Spirit of grace.’ Help us never to forget this: ‘It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’ Lord, You're speaking to us concerning ‘the Day of the Lord’, the Return of Christ: ‘He who is coming will come...’ You're speaking to us Your Word of warning: ‘Those who shrink back are destroyed.’ He speaks His Word of promise: ‘Those who believe are saved’ (Hebrews 10:29,31,37-39). ‘When Christ comes, will He find faith...?’ Teach us to pray, ‘Search my heart, O God...’ (Luke 18:8; Psalm 139:23-24).

Ezekiel 31:1-18

‘Pharaoh, king of Egypt’ had the appearance of ‘majesty’ - ‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?’ - yet he was ‘brought down’ (Ezekiel 31:2,18). Teach us, Lord that there is one Majesty who will never be brought down. May we never forget our Lord Jesus Christ. He is ‘the same yesterday and today and for ever.’ He will receive ‘glory for ever and ever.’ To Him alone, You say, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever’ (Hebrews 13:8,21; 1:8). This is real Majesty! ‘Majesty, worship His Majesty. Unto Jesus be glory, honour and praise. Majesty, Kingdom authority, flows from His throne unto His own. His anthem raise. So exalt, lift up on high the Name of Jesus. Magnify, come glorify, Christ Jesus the King. Majesty, worship His Majesty, Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings’ (Mission Praise, 454).