Daily Archives: March 9, 2008

PRAYERS FOR PASSION SUNDAY

Heavenly Father,

As I look to the hills, I see that every fiber of your creation is in preparation. Not a molecule is idle. The singular purpose of this exquisite scene has been hard wired into existence. Birds have been greeting the morning with their song for hours. Ripples roll across Coniston Water. A beam of light casts its eye down to a flowering tree. Spring is on the way and there is no time to waste. Does nature know a storm is brewing? There is no chaos of last minute planning, only joyful peace and harmony. You are the light of creation. It knows your love is steadfast. It worships you day and night each and every day. Turn our hearts to your light and set our hearts on fire for you. Let every man who looks to the hills find you. All praise and honour and glory and power are yours forever and ever. Amen!

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Father God,

We pray for your church here and in the world. This spring, open our eyes to see you more clearly. Blow away the dust, pour your light in the dark corners, whisk away all the clutter and fill those clean, white spaces with your spirit. Let no empty promises fill them, let no wasteful acts tarnish them, but move us together in your perfect time to the glory of your name. Father God, make us fighting fit for the work you have prepared in advance for us to do. Let not one of us be left behind. Move us in your peace and love in perfect harmony.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father,

It is awesome to me that this earth, your creation, continues to provide for man thousands of years on from the birth of civilisation. With each day, there are more mouths to feed, there is more extraction of minerals and oil, there is more production, and there is more construction. The old is torn down, the new is replaced. Yet the earth renews itself. New seeds sprout through the death of the old, a spark of genius planted by you gives birth to a revolutionary idea that changes the way we live. We pray that your resources will be redeployed to that which helps from that which harms. Why do we need to waste your valuable resources on weapons of mass destruction when we can transform our way of living to the profit of all creation. Move the world towards a lasting peace, let us love one another, let us look for ways to help rather than ways to harm. We pray for your merciful intervention.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Father God,

The financial infrastructure of global markets is being tested in ways not seen for 80 years. I wonder again when I look out at your creation, when I see people coming and going as before, eating and drinking, travelling, marrying. It is like the days of Noah. We know that in the last days, these markets will be in ruin. We know that in the last days, there will not be any water fit to drink. We know that in the last days, the fish will be dead, and the waters will over flow with blood. Father God, wake up your people. Let us not fritter away the hours you have planned for us. The time to act is now. The time for leadership is now. If we don’t change the way we live, there will not be a future on this planet. Heal us and help us. Turn us to new life!

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Lord God,

There are souls among us who need your merciful healing touch. You have shown us your divine plan. We see now through a glass darkly that which you choose to reveal of the past and the future. We live in the here and now. Sometimes we do not understand what is happening around us. Father God, we lift up to you this morning Chris, Joanna, Phyllis, Eunice, the children left behind in two very horrific car crashes in Gloucester and Lancashire. This morning Chris is very ill. His liver is giving out. His diabetes is a complication. He has travelled a long road of decline. We long for you to deliver him from this malaise. We long for him to be healed in body, mind and spirit. Awesome, all powerful God, we pray that your glory will be revealed in the lives of these souls that we bring to your throne. Have mercy upon them and deliver them from their infirmities.

Lord graciously hear us. Lord hear us.

Heavenly Father,

The news of the death of those souls in the Goucester and Lancashire car crashes makes us look anew at the world and our lives. We are here by your grace. This morning we pray for those who mourn. Thank you for the love that fills our hearts, for the life that fills our limbs, for the hope that lives within us and your lamp that lights the path before us. Move the mountains that impede our view. Walk beside us these earthly roads, take us by the hand and lead us to your heavenly throne.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your son, our saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

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