Heavenly Father, our prayer for Redeemer University on its 40th anniversary is that you would empower us to fulfill these words from Psalm 78:

“We will…tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done… which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.”

Father, our prayer is not only for this generation but for the next, for children yet unborn, who will arise and tell your wondrous works to their children so that a hundred years from now, many men and women would pass through the doors of Redeemer and set their hope in you and keep your commandments.

We believe that you will do this for your namesake, for you have relieved yourself to be:

“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love to the thousandth generation.”

We pray that this would continue in this generation through our new president, David Zietsma, that you would give him the wisdom of Solomon: an understanding mind to govern your great people and to discern between good and evil.

And we pray that his legacy and the legacy of this institution for decades to come would be that we would worship you, the God and Father of all, labouring in the power of the Holy Spirit, to be faithful to our only Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, that, through our faith in Christ, our hope of eternal life, and our love for you and our neighbour, many would say, like Job:

“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.” (Job 19:25-26)

And so, we pray this blessing over Redeemer in the years to come from your own Word, Psalm 67:

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” (Psalm 67:1-2)

We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.