A Prayer to Persevere
by John Calvin
Scripture Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20
(In its original form, this prayer was one long sentence, so I took liberties to restructure it into a contemporary English style and language)
Almighty God, Satan is placing many terrors in our way and seeks to bring us down. And we are weak. Grant that our eyes would be raised to heaven above. Give us sight to see your invincible power by which you can overcome any obstacle in our way.
Our God, when we can’t see with our eyes anything in this world to support or affirm our faith, may we nevertheless behold your power by faith. And grant that we would not doubt that in your time you will do what the world ridicules and thinks impossible.
Give us the grace to persevere in this confidence we place in you. Help us all to remain devoted and faithful to the work of building up your church. Give us mercy so that we faint not but continue steadfast until the day we join the final assembly of the saints above. On that day may we be blessed by the presence of others who are gathered there as a fruit of our work here. Then together, with the angels, we will offer the eternal sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving when we see perfected then what was feebly begun today.
Amen.