Our Heavenly Father,
We come together this evening to praise you for all the wondrous things you have done among us during this week. You are a God who provides, the creator God who has made all things. You continue to oversee all that you have made, and you have concern for each and every one of us as your special creation, made in your image, and made for relationship with you. Each day you have provided us with so many things that we can thank you for. Many of us have jobs, or other sources of income that provide us with our daily needs. We thank you for being the Lord of all our provision, and giving to us all that we have to live on. You give us our health, that we can continue each day able to act and live and be involved in our society. You surround us with loving family, friends and brothers and sisters in faith, with whom we can share our blessings and our burdens in life. Through Jesus Christ, you have cleared a path for us to be with you, so that we can relate to you, pray to you, live for you, love you, have you live within us, and you give us a hope for an eternal future with you in heaven that starts right now.
Despite all that you give us though, this is still a broken world, and we see both in our own lives, and in the world around us, the suffering, pain and loss that continues to manifest itself. We think of those who are unemployed, or without adequate support for living. We pray for those who face hunger due to poverty and famine, such as in Sudan, or because of harsh regimes such as in North Korea. We pray for governments to show mercy and kindness to the homeless, the unemployed and the aged, rather than punishing them. We pray for those who are afflicted with ill health, and ask you for their healing and relief. We pray for those who have lost members of family, or friends, those who do not have families, those who are lonely, and those who do not have the support of a loving Christian community. We pray for refugees who are forced to leave their home and travel to a foreign land, often leaving family, friends and community behind. We pray for those suffering the stigma of mental illness or criminal history or social awkwardness. Give all of these comfort in your closeness, and provide to them with friends, with loved ones, with communities that embrace them with the love of God shown through Jesus Christ.
Finally, Lord, we pray for all those who live without a sure hope, those who live without being able to rest in your love, those who feel unable to call you Father, unable to pray for you, and unable to see an assured future in heaven. You have given all of us so much, so generously - help your people, help all of us, to be fearless in sharing your message of love and forgiveness, of hope and closeness with the creator and sustainer of the world. Plant your seed of faith in the hearts of all around us, we pray, and soften their hearts that they might come to know and love you, as you love them.
All these things we pray, sure in the knowledge that you care for us and will provide in your wisdom. So we ask by the authority of Jesus.
Amen
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