So the prayer for illumination and the prayer of consecration have similar functions. In neither instance is attention focused on the imperfect elements on the table or the failures of the pastor and others leading the service. These prayers focus the attention of the community on the Lord, who alone dispenses grace to broken and sinful humankind.
Most of us would agree that the prayer of consecration should not be excluded from the communion service. Neither should we intentionally skip the prayer for illumination when we are about to hear the Word of the Lord. Unless God works a miracle of grace when we worship, we will have been little more than entertained by a sermon and engaged in a senseless act at the table. These two prayers may seem insignificant to a casual observer, but they stand at the threshold of those moments in worship when God interacts with the believing community.
via Shedding Light on the Prayer for Illumination | Reformed Worship.
The Sovereign Logos 