Prayers of the People/Intercession on Alpha and Omega
God of Wonder and Majesty–You are the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End… our past, present and future. You’ve come in the past …You’re here with us now …and You’ll come again in power and glory. Because You are faithful and true in all times and places we pray confidently knowing You hear us. We pray with thanks for new lives, new families and new marriages–and for all the ways You bring new people and new experiences into our lives.
We ask for faith to embrace Your new gifts, and wisdom to know what to do with them for Your glory and our joy. We pray with love for those we love who are ill or injured, recovering from or awaiting surgery–heal them, encourage them, give them patience and courage.
Move other nations, including our own, to act with justice and genuine concern rather than mere self-interest. We pray with concern for young men and women serving in our country’s military–who are far from home at a time of year when hearts turn to home and family.
Protect them; encourage their loved ones; and bring them home safely. We pray with care for Your glory as it shines through the gospel lived and proclaimed by missionaries in Hong Kong, India and Egypt, in Kenya, Mexico, on college campuses, in hospitals and military units.
Keep your servants faithful to the Truth and persistent in Christian love for those whose lives they touch. While the newspaper circulars and TV ads feed our greed, move us to give of ourselves and our substance to You, to those in need and to the work of Your kingdom. Make us faithful stewards of all You’ve given us–our stuff, our relationships, and especially of Your gospel that saves. This is our prayer–which we offer to You in Jesus’ Name. AMEN
God of time and eternity–for you all of time is now: past, present, future are the same to You.
You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, nothing was before You and nothing is or will be after or beyond You; and we can hardly fathom that.
But we’re thankful that it’s true because it means there is nothing beyond Your reach, understanding, and grace. Our loved ones who are sick or injured—are all within reach of your healing hand. Please, Lord, restore them to full health and lift their spirits. Lord, defeat depression’s darkness and give hope to all in need.
For those who grieve—put the arm of your compassion and love around their shoulders, and turn their hearts to You and your resurrection hope, Lord. We especially ask for comfort and give your peace to ….For those we know who have walked, or run, away from Your grace, truth and peace–bring them home again, Lord, and restore their joy and the hope of salvation.
For marriages strained to the breaking point—be a reconciler, Lord; and help us be reconcilers, too. For nations separated by war, hatred and suspicion—be a peacemaker, Lord; and help us be peacemakers, too. For those who lack the very basic things of life–be a provider, Lord; and help us be providers, too.
See to it, Lord, that there is clothing for the naked; food for the hungry; shelter for the homeless; companionship for the lonely; justice for the beaten-down; strength for the weak; and love for all. For our nation–Lord, we ask that Your guiding hand would direct our leaders and lead us all in the ways of Your good and gracious Kingdom.
And, Lord, bless Your church so that we might bless the community, the country and the world, showing Your love and sharing Your Gospel. Keep us in Your way in all we do; and fill our leaders and pastors with Your Spirit. Empower and inspire us all to serve You with joy; and ignite a fire in our souls making us a source of light and warmth in a dark, cold world.
And today—inspire our preacher with Your truth and grace, so that the word he brings is Your Word that can change our lives. To You be the glory, Lord, as we offer this prayer in the name above all names, the name of Jesus. AMEN