We are grateful for Sayuko Setvik, who led us in this prayer on Sunday.
Let us pray together.
Dear God,
You are worthy of all our praise and worship.
We praise you for who you are, Creator of Heaven and Earth, you are full of love and grace.
We thank you Jesus, for Your life, death and resurrection.
As we ponder how the women found the empty tomb, encountered the angel, and then met you, Jesus, we hear the words “Do not be afraid” spoken to us as well. These are words we need to hear from you today, and we thank you for them. Lord, thank you for knowing every little detail of our lives, every thought and feeling that goes through our mind and heart. You know each of our specific situations and understand our pain, our anxieties, our fears, our loneliness, our hopelessness, our brokenness. Thank you for meeting us where we are.
Lord, the whole world is in your hands. You are in control. Nothing is impossible for you. So we ask in faith, that you stop the spread of this virus and all the suffering. We pray for those who are sick, that you would bring healing to them. For those who are caring for the sick, give them strength and rest. For those who have lost their loved ones, please be their comfort. Please provide resources for the healthcare providers, provide the necessary equipment and more workers, give them relief, protect them and their families. Please give wisdom, efficiency, and resources to the scientists who are trying to develop a cure and a vaccine for this. We pray also for protection for public servants, grocery store workers, and others who are risking their lives to keep life going as we shelter in place.
We pray for the leaders all over the world on every level, that they would have wisdom and knowledge to make good decisions for the people. Show them your truth and your path. Give them strength to do the right thing. We pray for those without a place to live, those who have lost their jobs, those who are struggling to keep their livelihood, those who don’t have a support network, those who are not safe where they are… Have mercy on them, O Lord. Be with them and provide for their needs. Please use us as your hands and feet. We pray for Union’s ministries. Thank you to those such as Ian and Bobby who are being the hands and feet for this Body of Christ. We pray for abundant blessings to those they serve through Immanuel Community Services and our friends at Compass. May they feel loved and cared for through these meals. Help us to continue to be a generous community, and to be creative and wise with our time and resources.
Help us to pray, help us to listen to You and to others, Lord. Help us to notice what you’re doing in our lives and in the world. Please continue to involve us in your kingdom
work. Thank you for your unrelenting, unfailing love. Please give us your spirit of love and kindness, compassion and grace, that we might have grace for ourselves and others. Help us to be more like you in these difficult times. Help us to remember that we are your beloved children.
And I close with these words from Isaiah 43: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Is. 43:1-2)
We lift up all these things in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.