Prayer for the Week
Jesus says, ‘come to me all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads’.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
And so, Lord, we bring to you, in our prayers, people who carry a heavy load………
For people who mourn the death of loved ones, young and old – for those coming to terms with brutal killings, for those who do not feel whole as the person who was the centre of their world is no longer alive.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people who speak out and challenge us to be better stewards of your creation – for environmental charities and protest movements as they strive to raise awareness of what we are doing to the world’s resources and powers.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people who are despised, ignored or ridiculed, so that their concerns are not really heard – for employees whose basic rights are not catered, for those who seek equal treatment but who face barriers because of their age, their gender, their beliefs, their sexuality or the colour of their skin.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people who are harassed and dehumanised, and whose protests are not heard or given any consideration – for people in Zimbabwe, in Burma, in Libya and in Tibet who struggle for democracy and personal freedom.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people who are hungry and thirsty because there is little to eat or drink – where droughts have meant that crops have failed, where no livelihood has meant people are driven to beg or steal to feed themselves and their families.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people caught up in the midst of war - for displaced people and refugees in Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia who have had to flee their home and communities for fear of their own safety.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people who are responsible for providing healthcare, education and emergency services – carers, teachers, surgeons, nurses, GPs, lecturers, firefighters, police and many others . In those days when they feel that the job is never done and that their world is getting worse and not better
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people in positions of power and responsibility in governments, corporations and communities – so that they discern the right thing to do for the common good, so that they approach their important tasks with integrity, selflessness, openness and honesty
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people who are ill or wounded in body, mind or spirit – for those suffering from terminal illness and will not return to full health, for those that require constant care and support to face each day, for those who demand too much of themselves and are hampered by frustration.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people who face economic uncertainty or are trapped in debt – those who fear the loss of work and home, those who face difficult decisions about what to do next.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For people who do not know Your love and search for meaning, purpose and comfort in worldly gods and people who do not have their best interests at heart.
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
For those brought to us, in name alone, who need your love and strength:
Where hearts and minds are burdened
Where bodies are tired
Where spirit is fragile
Lord, give rest, Lord give hope and peace
And finally, we pray for ourselves, that we will accept the easy yoke that Jesus gives us, and receive from him the strength to love and serve in his name.
Lord of all life and experience, hear our prayers and in your grace touch the lives of those for whom we have prayed.
Amen
Praying Hands