INTERCESSIONS 17 JAN 2021
The World
Heavenly Father it feels like the whole world is the eye of a storm with this global pandemic. It has swept away normality and many of our assumptions about how we will live our lives. We don’t know when it will end and how we will be changed by this into the long-term.
Loving Father, we often hear you best when our certainties are shaken. We pray for your intervention in the midst of this to help mankind turn to you and be led by you. We are in transition and ask you, Guiding Father, to steer how we come through this. Bring us to a better, more compassionate and more responsible place closer to your kingdom.
There are so many who need your comfort in these times – we lift to you the bereaved, the sick, exhausted front-line staff, overstretched teachers and ministers, confused young people, the lonely and isolated. Please draw closer to us all and let each know your presence with its strength and comfort. We thank you for the hope brought by the new vaccines we pray they will be swiftly and fairly distributed.
We pray for a healing of the divisions in the USA and a peaceful transition of power next week. Please give Jo Biden and the USA government the wisdom to reunite the country and set an entirely new culture of honesty, integrity and mutual respect.
We pray for peace in Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria and the many other places where war is raging. Help us to keep these countries in our prayers and to lend practical support in whatever ways we can.
The UK
We pray for our own country. We ask for your blessing on the Queen as Head of the Church and thank you for her evident Christian faith.
May our government exercise sound judgement and lead our country on principles that respect all citizens. Please sharpen the conscience of those in power and help them be insightful and committed to do what is right.
We ask for wisdom and integrity in our Bishops and other church leaders.
Help the UK to develop a culture of loving our neighbour as ourselves.
The Church
Almighty God thank you that you have promised that church will endure until the end of time and beyond and it cannot be overcome. Just like the 12 disciples we are more than we seem. We pray for the church worldwide to continue to bring the good news to the world and to relentlessly continue to change lives by bringing people, one at a time, to a knowledge and love of you.
We know the church will be glorious in your sight at the end of time. Help your churches to draw their strength from your promises, focus on what matters most and hold fast to the truth. We pray that your churches will uphold, support and encourage each other.
Holy God purify your church where it is conforming to the world. Living God, enliven your church where it is only lukewarm. Protecting God shield your church where it is persecuted. Saviour, we pray that together the churches will be effective in helping your kingdom come in our generation.
Our Local Church
Thank you, God, for our local church and that we are able to freely express our faith. Please guide and prosper our ministers and leaders. We ask you to inspire and support them in these challenging times.
We pray for the Alpha Course starting next week jointly with Pattern Church. Please draw the right people to come and be there by your spirit so that hearts are opened to your truth.
We pray for our link missionaries in Brazil that they will be effective in bringing light into the life of those they reach out to. We pray you will protect, guide and strengthen them.
We pray for those who are recently bereaved and those who are currently unwell to know the comfort of your presence with them.
Us personally
Thank you for this mornings readings God that express your kingship, worthiness and omnipotence. Help us to know that all things are in your hands and nothing will defeat your purposes of bringing creation back to yourself.
God is hard to take in that you know us completely and love us completely. Drive this truth home we pray in all our hearts. We only love because you first loved us – open us up to receive your love and gain healing.
God our saviour, we want to recognise your voice. Teach us, through your word, what your voice sounds like so that we can discern when you are speaking to us. Help us to know you more, and spend time with you so we hear you more clearly. Help us to quieten down and listen with a willingness to do whatever is asked of us.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your son our saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen