Prayers of the People/Intercession on Glory
Inspired by Psalm 8
LORD our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. You set Your glory above the heavens. We see your power in galaxies that spin in space, and see your care in the sparrows feeding in the snow. You are strong and You are good–therefore, we trust You, our heavenly Father.
Hear our prayers, Lord. Hear our prayers for the world:
For justice and freedom, protection and peace;
For refugees: to have a place called “home” to live safely and without fear;
To tsunami victims working to rebuild their lives give hope and help, persistence and grace.
For leaders of nations–for our own president, legislators and judges: wisdom and courage, hearts after truth and a commitment to justice.
For our own community: may we be even more committed to Your kingdom, loyal to its truth and demonstrating its ways, than we are to the local sports team.
Hear our prayers, Lord. Hear our prayers for those in need:
For the ill or injured, those recovering from surgery or preparing for it:
We pray for healing and restoration, a lack of fear and a lot of patience; esp. for … (names)
For those who mourn: we ask You to give them comfort and genuine peace in the resurrection. For those going through a dark valley of depression: hope–Your presence to encourage, Your word to assure.
Hear our prayers, Lord. Hear our prayers for Your church:
For Your global church: keep strong our brothers and sisters facing oppression and persecution. Encourage and protect missionaries declaring Your gospel.
Spread Your Good News to every tribe and nation, language and culture so that all may know! For this local church–make us light and salt,
Father, so that we will live and proclaim the Good News in a dark, dying and tasteless world. Strengthen our leadership and enable our followership.
Show us Your calling and equip us to carry it out. Give us one heart, one loyalty, one vision–as we give ourselves to You: our One God! Hear our prayers, Lord–these prayers and more, as we join our voices together. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN
Lord—You are coming in power someday—and You are already here, near at-hand. You know us entirely—you know our wants and needs, our dreams and hopes, our disappointments and griefs–and yet You are not ashamed to call us your own, to enter our world and walk the trash-strewn streets of our lives. You know the sick and injured—the anxiety, worry, and weakness that come with recuperation.
And You know the tireless efforts of caregivers, so we’re asking You to heal bodies, spirits, and attitudes of those we love, Lord. Please do it, for the sake of Your glory and their joy. You know what it’s like to grieve and mourn when a loved one dies: in your compassion, comfort those who grieve, give them hope and strength for each new day and companions in the grief journey. You know the violence of war in our world, the desperation that comes with natural disasters, the isolation that comes with fear and violence, and the anxiety that comes with financial insecurity.
You are our all-sufficient and gracious Savior—the Prince of Peace and Lord of Hope, our solid Rock and secure Fortress. We trust You in uncertain times, knowing that You are Lord of all! You know our halting steps and inconsistent affirmations—yet, You embrace us as Your own, as ones for whom You died and rose, and You value our discipleship as we try to follow in your footsteps and walk in your ways.
Thank you. And, please, Lord: continually equip us by your Spirit and Word for active service in Your kingdom, and prepare us for conflict with the sin in us and with the evil in the world. This is our prayer—offered in the name of Jesus our Lord. AMEN
Good and Gracious Lord, You hold us in the palm of Your strong hand, working all things for our good and to Your glory. There’s no place we can go that escapes Your notice and is hidden from Your loving attention. We’re amazed by Your power and in awe of Your grace: You take what’s inadvertently or intentionally evil and bend it to Your will and ways.
So, remembering Your wondrous grace and awesome power, we open our hearts, lifting our burdens and cares to You. For our world, we pray: For peace: end the warring madness that threatens to destroy all.
For the victims of natural disasters and for social and political unrest around the globe: Protect the poor and needy from exploitation. Give food to the hungry and freedom to captives. For our nation, we pray for justice and honesty for elections in states and cities, that individuals with a heart for your ways of truth would find their way into office.
We also pray for our nation’s president, vice-president, congressmen and senators – that they would lead us in Your ways of justice, righteousness and truth. We intercede also for those who have been touched by the grief of loss this week. We pray on behalf of friends and family, brothers and sisters in Christ who are ill or injured, recuperating and recovering; we ask Your healing power and restorative touch for them.
May they know Your presence to comfort and encourage. May they rise up to call you “Blessed” for Your goodness in their lives. For the anxious among us – give them confidence and peace. For those feeling the pain of broken relationships – bring Your reconciliation, love, forgiveness and grace. To the lonely – be a friend and bring a new friend.
For the hopeless – show them a way and give them a light in the darkness. For all of us, never leave us nor forsake us, remind us always of your love and power. For all this, and more in our heart of hearts, we pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
God of grace, power and glory, and our Heavenly Father: You raise up nations in your grace and holiness; and You bring down nations who go after and serve other gods of their own making. You are good–and You are strong; so we run to You today. Our world shakes–and we are shaken. Earthquakes; political unrest; genocide; war and terrorism; nuclear fear and military tension …
As Lord of nations and the Creator who holds the whole earth in the palm of your hand–come! Protect hostages, encourage quake victims, comfort those who grieve and give wisdom to those seeking political solutions. Loved ones suffer and we are helpless to relieve their suffering. Heal them of their sicknesses or comfort them in their griefs–Lord Jesus: you can do what we can’t do.
We ask You to heal those who are sick or injured, recovering in hospitals or recuperating in homes. Restore them physically, emotionally and spiritually. Console those who mourn with hope in Your resurrection and help them in Your presence with them. For a husband and wife who feel like they’re all alone or married to a stranger: Help them find a path back to one another. Renew a love that’s lost or forgotten. Enable them to say “I’m sorry” and “Will you forgive me?”
Enable parents to love their children with patience, grace, encouragement and understanding; and for children to honor their parents with deference and respect. For one overshadowed by depression, discouragement or despair: Give her hope. Open his eyes to his own worth as one You made, redeemed and love. For one seeking a job: give him meaningful work. For one seeking a friend: Give her someone who cares and who she can care for. For one seeking a purpose: Give him a clear calling to serve You, and others, in your name; and set him free to do great things with the gifts and talents You give them.
For ones seeking salvation from guilt, shame and sin: Show them The Savior, Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died so they might live, and who is raised so they may live forever. For Your Church: revival in the Truth and in Your Spirit! For our preacher: speak to us through him/her clearly and powerfully. What is of You: may we do and never forget; what is not of You: may we not do and never remember. All this (and more) we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.