Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, how we thank you for shepharding us through the month of August. And now we pray for your hand that steered your children through the Red Sea to lead us in power. “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land” ( Exodus 4:21).

And where we come up enemies, we know, you “jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt” ( vv 25). There are many good things we truly experienced through the past month. Some of us achieved certain milestones, once a dream but for your goodness we basked in the glory of victory. For you say, “You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out” ( Deutronomy 28:6). Yet we know there have also been setbacks.

But even though we enclose ourselves in your shroud, for you say, “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” ( Psalm 55:22). And so as we walk into September, we pray for the blessings Moses gave to your servant Joshua, who said, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” ( Deutronomy 31:8).

Just as you blessed Abraham whose servant knelt before you and prayed, “LORD, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham” ( Genesis 24:12), and you granted his request; in the same vein we pray, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” ( Psalm 23:6). May this month be one of breaking through barriers, as you say, “I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron” (Isaiah 45:2).

If we ever felt low we lean on your word, “There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” ( Proverbs 23:18). And where we find turmoil, we pray, that the “peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful” ( Col 3:15). We therefore go out our hearts ripe with anticipation of greater days ahead: “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God” ( Psalm 20:4-5). All this we pray in the holy mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ!