Ohana Prayer 290 – Luke 19

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down

immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole

crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b] “Peace in heaven and glory in

the highest!”

41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it

42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but

now it is hidden from your eyes.

43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and

encircle you and hem you in on every side.

45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling.

46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’[c]; but you have made

it ‘a den of robbers.’[d]”

The gracious and severe Lord Jehovah, our heavenly Father God, we rise early in the morning to

praise your holy name. Please open our spiritual eyes to restore the foundation of our faith by

your holy words, so that we can walk steadfast with faith. By opening our spiritual ears, we can

be touched and filled with the Holy Spirit at all times according to your kindness.

Thank you, heavenly Father for your grace and wonderful deeds. By faith, our wild olive

branches can be grafted in and able to share the rich nourishment from the root of God’s

special olive tree. Please keep us alert at all times, lest we fall into deception; knowing that

since you neither cherish the original branches nor spare the fruitless branches, you will cut off

the rotten ones.

Thank you, Lord Jesus for calling us by our names among all people. In the past, you travelled to

Jericho for the purpose of saving one man. Today, we, the lost sheep are wandering in fear of

the pandemic and struggling in the turbulent events of this world; like a sheep without a

shepherd, we linger in terror on the road of destruction. We feel like being buried in an

avalanche: though we stretched out our hands in prayer but could not break through the layers

of heavy snow. However, you came to seek us, quietly picked us up from the snow pile and led

us through the darkest valley because you are the way, the truth and the life.

Thank you Lord Jesus for giving every one of us our unique gifts, talents, missions, roles,

abilities and even the privilege of free will. Please continue to call us by our names so we can

follow you closely and will not go astray. We are your sheep and we listen to your voice; we will

not be distracted by puzzling noises.

Holy Spirit, please forgive us for surrounding you to simply indulge in enjoying the comfort in

the spirit. As a result, we slam the door of the gospel shut, give people an incorrect image of

Christ by false imperfect teachings and keep people from entering the door to salvation. The

seekers can only see the pretentious acts of us, the superficial Christians. Our failure to be a

living testimony hinders the infants in Christ to grow and even causes them to stumble. Please

save us from becoming evil servants in the eyes of the Lord.

Holy Spirit, please come and cleanse the temple of our hearts and rebuild the temple of prayer

for all nations. When our days are difficult because of the turmoil in this world, we know that

the Lord also weeps with us. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us so that we can have faith, hope

and love. May we lift up the victorious banner of the cross and declare “Peace in heaven and

glory in highest heaven!” The coming of the Lord is near.

We pray in the holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!