Prayer for Ourselves and Others, inspired by 1 Timothy 4: 6-16 and John 12: 1-8, and also Let Me Go There by Paula Gooder.
You who created the heavens and the earth, who formed us in love and called us into being,
You who walk with us in every season, in times of joy and in times of sorrow,
You who sustain the weary, uplift the brokenhearted, and bring light into the darkness,
we come before You in humility and trust, seeking Your presence in our lives.
Lent is a season in which we are called to carry the light of Your steadfast love into the bleakest places of wilderness.
In these places of sorrow, of uncertainty, and of struggle, let us not turn away,
but rather look with rebellious expectation for the grace You have already prepared for us.
Let us journey into the unknown with courage,
not relying on our own strength, but trusting in Your unfailing presence.
Lord, help us to wait upon You, as You have promised in Your Word:
that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall rise up on wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.
Strengthen us, Lord, when the road is long and our spirits grow weary.
Fill us with the endurance to walk in faith,
the boldness to proclaim Your truth,
and the wisdom to act with justice and compassion.
May we, like Mary, pour out our hearts and treasures in devotion to You,
seeking not our own will, but always desiring to serve You and others with humility.
May we be faithful servants of Christ Jesus, nourished in Your Word,
formed in Your wisdom, and always ready to bear witness to Your love.
Lord, we lift before You the brokenness of the world.
We pray for all who suffer, for those living in war zones, for those displaced from their homes,
for those who face hunger, violence, and oppression.
We remember especially the people of Myanmar, grieving the destruction left by the earthquake.
For those who have lost their homes, their loved ones, and their sense of security,
Lord, be their refuge.
Let Your mercy surround them, bringing comfort to the grieving,
healing to the wounded, and hope to those who despair.
We hold before You in prayer all whom we love,
our friends, our family, our neighbours, our colleagues.
Watch over them, protect them in their anxieties, and reassure them of Your nearness.
For those who have gone before us into Your eternal presence,
may we trust in Your promise that we are one with You forever.
Now, Lord, in this moment of stillness, we pause.
We quiet our minds and our hearts,
and in the silence, we bring before You the deepest prayers we cannot put into words.
Silence.
In Your mercy, hear our prayers.
In Your grace, guide us.
In Your love, transform us.
Father, bring glory to Your name!
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
now and forever.
Amen.
Comments