Prayer for Ourselves and for Others, written using 1 Thessalonians 5:12–24, the imagery and declaration from Psalm 118, and the sending out from Luke 8:26–39. Inspired by a prayer by Gregory Petrov, and theological reflection from Philip Yancey.
Gracious and Eternal God,
You are the Lord of all, unbounded by time,
The Creator who holds the past, present, and future in Your hand.
You see all things in a single, eternal now,
And yet You chose to enter time,
To dwell with us in Jesus Christ and to redeem what was lost.
How is it, Lord, that You call us “Beloved”?
We are so often inconstant and faltering,
Yet You see not just our failures, but the beauty You are forming in us.
You see not the jagged line of our efforts,
But the steady line of good, the grace of Christ,
Applied to our lives for all eternity.
No one can restore what has crumbled into dust,
But You, Lord, can restore a conscience turned to ashes.
You can bring to life again a soul lost and without hope.
With You, nothing is beyond redemption.
You are Love itself.
You are Creator and Redeemer.
We give thanks to You, for You are good,
And Your steadfast love endures forever.
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
This is Your doing, Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
You take what the world discards and make it the foundation of new life.
We praise You for this upside-down grace.
And so we pray:
Help us to love one another,
To live in peace,
To be patient and kind,
To honour those who serve and guide us in faith.
May we build one another up,
Encourage the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
Let us not repay wrong for wrong,
But always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
We pray this especially for the nations of the world;
For those trapped in cycles of war and retaliation.
Lord, bring an end to violence.
Break the chain of vengeance.
Let no nation repay evil with evil.
Instead, turn hearts to reconciliation,
To the hard and holy work of peace.
Gracious Father,
We lift up leaders and all in positions of power.
Grant them wisdom to know what is right,
And courage to do it.
We pray for those working toward international cooperation and understanding,
May their efforts be marked by humility, justice, and mercy.
We pray for all who suffer because of conflict:
In Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Iran and Palestine.
The injured, the grieving, the frightened, the displaced.
The homeless, the hungry,
And especially those who feel forgotten,
Without hope or a friend to sustain them in their sorrow.
Be near to them, God.
Raise up helpers.
Bring peace.
We thank You too, Lord, for the gift of friendship,
For those who stand with us, weep with us, rejoice with us,
And walk beside us in love.
May we be such friends to others,
And may we always return to tell what You have done for us.
As Jesus said to the healed man, so You say to us:
“Return home and tell how much God has done for you.”
Give us the courage and joy to speak of Your mercy,
To share what You have done in our lives,
That others may hear and be drawn to Your light.
God of compassion,
Be near to all who carry the weight of the Assisted Dying Bill.
Give peace to those who suffer,
Wisdom to those who decide,
And kindness to every heart.
Help us to be instruments of Your peace,
Working for justice, reconciliation, and love in all the world.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
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