Prayers of the People/Intercession on Children of God
Gracious God of love–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We are grateful that You’ve revealed yourself to us, telling us that each of us are loved by You as children, each precious in Your sight, each a reflection of You, each bound together by love, which is Your presence among us. We come to you, O God, weary and carrying heavy burdens.
Some of us bear the yoke of illness–and so we lift to you our needs for healing, and for others in need of being made well. Some of us, as caregivers, bear the yoke of caring for those who can’t care for themselves: enable us to not grow weary in well-doing, continuing to love and serve with our compassion.
Some of us bear a yoke of loss and grief–comfort all who grieve with Your presence and love as expressed through we who bear the name of Christ. Compassionate God: there are other yokes, too. For some of us bear the yoke of unemployment or underemployment; some of us bear the yoke of hunger; some of us bear the yoke of homelessness; some of us bear the yoke of violence; some of us bear the yoke of anger; some of us bear the yoke of loneliness; some of us bear the yoke of depression; some of us bear the yoke of addiction.
Free us from these and other yokes, dear God, as …we pray for rest; we pray for healing; we pray for release; and we pray for wholeness. This week we recognize that our nation also bears many burdens: we don’t trust our leaders; we can’t find ways to work together for the common good; we allow the least among us to suffer and languish; we lose our children to endless conflicts and wars; we fixate on what divides us rather than on what unites us as one people. Remind us this week of our calling.
Remind us of our common creed that all people are created equal. Inspire us to ensure that all of your children enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Help us to be profoundly grateful for our freedom and security, to never take these gifts for granted, and to use them for the betterment of all. God of all life, may peace and justice fill our land and, indeed, the whole world. We pray today for escalating tension and violence in the world…and for places around the globe where people are victimized, where safety is threatened, where freedoms are denied, where life is treated as anything less than sacred. Gracious God, grant us the yoke of Christ, binding us together, tethered by your love, guided by your presence, bringing your kingdom into this world. It is for this kingdom that we now pray. Amen.
Father God: You know our thoughts, before we speak them. You know our needs, without us saying them. So, You invite us into Your presence, with arms wide open, not to hear our laundry lists of wants and needs. You want us to know You, to love You and to be withYou. Forgive us for treating You more like a heavenly vending machine and less like our Heavenly Father who loves us.
We want to know You more–for who You are. We want to be more like You–as Your children. We want to follow You wherever You want to take us, for You know what’s good, right and best for us. Today, we give You all our worries and anxieties, which come from bearing burdens we’re never meant to carry; for You are God and we’re not.
We acknowledge only You can handle them; and we cannot. You’re the healer–and so we place loved ones and friends in Your healing hands. Do for them what only You can do–heal them. Restore bodies to health and wholeness. Calm troubled minds. Break chains of addiction. Overcome disease, and repair injury and wounds.
We pray today especially for…You’re the Resurrection and the Life–giving hope, peace and comfort to those who mourn loved ones. You’re Lord of the Church–so we thank you for blessings we’ve known as a congregation …the joy of mission, the wonder of learning new things from Your Word, the encouragement of friends who stand with us in tough times, the support of brothers and sisters.
May we be faithful in living and declaring your good News in our community, our nation and to the ends of the earth. Empower and protect those who are our voices, our hands and our feet in mission–on the West bank in Israel, on the US-Mexican border. This, and more, we pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.