CPC Vision and Values: The Core Value of Prayer (Luke 11:1-4)
April 14, 2024- We’re in the midst of a sermon series on CPC’s vision and values. The vision was crafted by our elder board in the fall and proffered to our deacons, committee members, and staff on December 2. The vision isn’t set in stone but rather something the elders are seeking to refine as they ask the Lord for wisdom and dialogue with the congregation.
Our second core value is prayer. Prayer is an expression of our dependence upon God. It is an expression of love towards our neighbor and way we bear their burdens.
I’m grateful that CPC is growing in prayer. Our congregational prayer meeting in January was well attended.
In my own life, I see the need for further growth, especially in adoration. My family has been trying to build this into our daily routine. We gather in the evening and each adult and child take turns praising God for physical and temporal gifts, as well as spiritual and eternal provisions. These are sweet times, as the Psalmist declares, “It is pleasant to praise the Lord” (Psalm 147:1). C.S. Lewis said it well, “the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and capacious, praise most, while the cranks, misfits and malcontents praise least.”
The Gospel gives us confidence in prayer. We don’t come to God in our own merits, but clothed in the righteousness of Christ. We don’t come to God as strangers but as beloved sons and daughters. The Gospel induces adoration. How can we not love the one who loves us?
