Prayers of the People in February 2013.

This Intercessory Prayer may have some grammatical errors in English as it is not edited.

In this season of holiness,

In that unholy mess we call life,

We yearn for your face, O God,

We hunger for your word of hope,

We ache for your healing touch,

We thirst for someone who will gather up our brokenness

and shape us into your peace,

but find only few guides...  

Yet in the laughter of children

       in the gentle encouragement of a teacher

       in the comforting laps of grandparents,

       in the loving fellowship with our friends in faith over a potluck dinner,

after a long labour day,  

We believe we can see your goodness.

Blessed are those who come in your name, O Lord,

Even to us, even to me.

Lord, turn your face toward us full of love and hope.

Look upon us gently, gathering us up as beloved children.

Embrace us and welcome us to the place where you are,

For we are standing waiting,

Waiting at your door, 

waiting for your call.

Lord, hear our prayers.  

Lord, as you have listened to our prayers for ourselves, now listen to our prayers for others at this time:

We pray for those who are in need;

we know that your heart is always to the poor and dispossessed. May our hearts be turned as well that we might look with compassion and not judgement

on those whose lives spiral out of control,

on the down side of bad decisions and bad luck and broken spirits.

We pray for all who struggle with addictions

that they may find the way to recovery and wholeness,

and all who live with unemployment and under-employment

and feel the pain of not being able to support their families

…

We pray for families - both broken and uniting. Touch the hearts and heal the wounds. Be the stronghold and light so that they may be confident in your guiding them through the tough roads, which eventually we hope lead to forgiveness and loving.   

We pray for our children whom mass consumerism of our capitalist world targets as potential consumers. Keep our children’s spirit of joy and their born capability of appreciating the beauty of the world from the influence of the consumerism and the violent media.     

We pray for our Nature which neo-liberalism only sees as ‘resource’ to be used up and dug up, wanting to maximize ‘profits’ from it, rather than honouring it as it is - God’s creation and the mother Earth.

We pray for farmers and many of us who have started gardening in our own yard, for this new year; we feel the breeze of spring’s coming.... (Lent literally means 'spring' in Latin.). We have begun to dig our garden to clear winter weeds and wake up the worms! We give thanks for allowing us a time for a deep relationship with your creation - good earth, the holy ground for every living being to grow and thrive. Bless everyone’s hands which touch the earth – your body.  

….

Last but not least, we pray for those who are treated for cancer and those who love and care for them. … We believe that your hope for us is only our well-being and wholeness. We seek your healing touch. We seek your face. Do not hide your face from those who seek it, but give your peace and courage.

As our Psalmist sings today, "you are our light and saving health, we shall not be afraid". We believe that we shall see your goodness in the land of our living. We wait for you, O God. We are strong, and take courage, yes, while we wait for You, our Helper, our Rock, Our redeemer.