Prayers of the People/Intercession on Trust
God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Lord of all our yesterdays, todays and tomorrows: thank you that we don’t need to be afraid of what’s coming because you’re already there ahead of us. Nothing takes you by surprise. Nothing confuses you or confounds you.
There’s never a drop of sweat on your upper lip from anxiety, worry or panic. Therefore, trusting not ourselves but you, we open our hearts to your strength and love today, giving over what we can’t change so you can.
For those ill or injured, anticipating surgery or recovering from it, for those who await test results or who are anxious for another: come, as our Healer; and dispel diseases of body, soul, mind and emotions. Speed recovery. Strengthen care-givers. Assuage fears and restore trust in your power.
For those who mourn, whether grief is fresh or lingering: come, as the Resurrection and the Life; and console the grieving. Comfort and companion the lonely. Share in tears of sorrow and in laughter at remembering. Impart hope for this life, and hope for beyond the grave.
For those with relationships coming apart at the seams; for families stressed by estrangement, separation, or divorce; for friends divided by anger; or colleagues separated by differences, for any alienated by sin from someone they’ve loved–Jesus, come as the great Mediator and Reconciler: break proud spirits–and replace them with humble hearts.
Enable each to speak truth in love; to repent and to forgive; to be patient and gracious with one another and with their own selves. Restore them to the right relationship with each other. For peoples, countries and nations–including our own: come as King of Kings, as Lord of all and Prince of Peace. For those in leadership–give them wisdom from above; and the courage to do what is right, not just expedient or politically correct.
In dangerous places and in war zones: Protect the innocent. Guard combatants, especially our own sons and daughters, from harm–and their families from fear and anxiety. Insure justice and mercy, truth and freedom, so the Gospel may flourish in hard places,as your people live safely there.
For missionaries and pastors, congregations and evangelists, who live your truth and declare your truth in hostile nations or among indifferent people: come as Light and Truth, with grace and love: keep your people faithful. Strengthen missionaries whose vigor flags; and encourage them when they’re discouraged. This is our prayer in Your name, Jesus. AMEN
Abba – Father: Because of Your love and strength, we trust You … believing You are faithful, true and gracious. Thank You for coming into our world when we could not and would not come to You. You walked our dusty roads.
You moved in among the crowded streets of our cities, amidst the noise, the chaos and the commercialism. And You are still there when we have eyes to see You, ears tuned to Your voice and wills quick to follow You.
You say this is Your world: help us to believe it – and live like it is. You say, You know our sin and forgive us anyhow: help us to believe it, and so forgive others. You say, You have a better life to give if we’ll open our hearts and hands to receive it by your grace: help us to believe the Gospel of Your grace. You say You can do what we can’t: help us to believe it, to find hope and to stop trying (and failing) to make it on our own.
You say, You come to give us life – and life abundantly: help us believe it and live it. You say, You want to make our lives count for eternity: help us to believe it, to willingly risk failure in something worthwhile rather than success in something worth little. You say, You can heal our hurts: help us to believe and trust You.
You say, You can reconcile us to Yourself and to each other through Christ: help us to believe it, to live it and to experience it. We pray for the sick, the injured, the worried and despairing – asking You to heal bodies, to rebuild souls and encourage anxious hearts by igniting the light of hope in the darkness of depression.
Today we especially ask your healing for the sick/ We pray Your comfort for the grieving – We pray Your blessing on all that’s new, for You make all things new – And we pray for your world: bring peace to troubled lands of the Middle East; break down walls dividing people from people; heal war-torn and battle-weary nations; and embolden Your people in those lands to live and declare the Gospel with power. AMEN.
Your Healing Hands
Jesus, Resurrected One
Light of New Life
Breaker of Chains
Bringer of Grace and Hope
You are moving, speaking, inviting
We hear your call to repentance
The turning will save us
We hear your Good News
The trusting will save us
We place every need into your healing hands
our loved ones, our enemies, ourselves
our work, our congregations, our denomination
our community, our nation, our world
our hopes, our security, our failures, our future
The congregation is invited to add their own petitions
We place every need into your healing hands
We will find rest and wholeness there
We will find life, in you and the prayer you’ve taught us
Conclude with the Lord’s Prayer
Your Healing Hands © 2019 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Lord–in the words of the Psalmist,“You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations,” our safe place to run to, and the One who opens the door when we knock–no matter what. Because of Your faithfulness and power, there has never been a time when You weren’t–and there never will be.
So we know we can trust you with whatever it is that gladdens or burdens our hearts today. And we do trust you. We trust You with those who are sick or hurt in any way–in body or mind, soul or spirit. We know we can trust those who’ve died in faith to your care; and we can lift to you those whose loss and grief hurts–whether it is recent or long past.
We pray for you to comfort with your presence and your peace all who miss a loved one this time of year. We pray for those whose needs are great and whose burdens are greater; for the one who needs fulfilling and meaningful work; for those in need of loving friends; for single parents in need of help with their children; for the one who needs strength and help to overcome an addiction; for the marriage that is strained; for the family that is fraught with discord and brokenness, bring deliverance, reconciliation, and hope we pray.
Our needs are many–and our own ability to make a difference is so feeble, Lord—so we need You to come at the point of our need, and to come to those we care about at the place of their pain. Come as You are … as our Good Shepherd, our King, the Light of Hope for our dark, discouraged world. Come as You are to us as we are–and make us more like You; and may You be praised as our all in all. This we pray, in the name of the risen Christ, our Lord. AMEN
God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; God of hope, of new life–All our times are in Your hands. We thank and praise You, for you are the Lord of our yesterdays, and our todays and our tomorrows.
In You, the old is redeemed and everything has become new! Knowing that You are good and strong, loving, wise and faithful; we trust you with all that’s on our hearts today–from that which brings us to tears in laughter, to that which causes us to weep in sorrow.
Loving God, we thank You for the grace You have shown to us this week, for prayers to which You’ve said “Yes,” and those to which You’ve said, “No. I have a better idea.” We also give you those things that keep us awake at night, and fill our days with anxiety.
We pray for those struggling to rebuild lives from natural disaster and for those recovering from human disasters, from political and economic disputers; from wars, and from terror attacks near and far. We also pray for those struggling with illness. We pray for strength and grace for their caregivers.
We pray for all who mourn, whether their grief is fresh or has lingered for a long time, please show them Your kindness; give to them comfort in Your presence; and the hope and peace that comes with Your promise to make all things new.
Lord of the church, we pray for this congregation: May they be anointed with your touch, empowered by Your Spirit; and formed in Your image so everyone may see You in them, and through them; that as You are lifted higher, You can draw all people to Yourself in glory. Anoint us, Holy One and fill us with Your loving touch. Fill us, so that we can, in Your love, touch and fill others. We offer this our prayer, in the name of Jesus.
God of Grace–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: You are good. You are strong. And, You are loving. Therefore, we trust You–even as we often are people with trust-issues living in a world with trust-issues. You alone—are worthy of our faith and trust. You are faithful … wise … and just; and You invite us to come to You with our hopes and hurts, our disappointments and dreams … and we do.
We all have friends, family and acquaintances who need healing and encouragement today. We lift them to You because we can’t do it. Make the sick well; aid the recovering; Strengthen the weak; and mend the injured. Give care-givers what they need to be able to help. There are others who are grieving today—as we all do some time. Comfort them with Your love in the presence of those who care. Give them Your restorative peace, and fill them with hope.
In a world of disease, terror, human trafficking, violence, and abject poverty, we feel powerless to do anything: but You can. So we pray that You will. And we pray that you use us, help us to trust in You and to do what you’ve given us to do, however small and seemingly insignificant, knowing that your kingdom moves in small, unseen ways.
Give our nation’s leaders wisdom beyond their own to make decisions that uphold human dignity and lead to human flourishing at home and abroad. Grant them the grace and humility to overcome pride in order to move forward. Give them courage to do what is right and not just politically expedient.
Show us the way, Lord. Show us the way. Strengthen Your worldwide church to serve others, to give a clear testimony to your love and Good News, and to face opposition and persecution with perseverance and grace. Empower those who minister, preach and teach. Enable our missionaries to serve with creativity, imagination, and love so that more may be brought into Your kingdom of light and love.
For this church … for us …enable us to likewise live faithfully, serve faithfully, and devotedly share the Gospel in word and deed with our families, neighbors, and friends. Meet our financial needs and raise up volunteer servants for the “fields are white unto harvest.” All this, and more, we pray in the name of Him who continually prays with us and for us, Jesus our Lord. AMEN