Prayer: God at Work in Spite of Fear (Judges 6)

Heavenly Father,

We know you are a god of Good.  We know that you don't delight in evil or wickedness, that it doesn't please you when people do wrong. And yet we look around our world, and we see so many acts of evil and wrong, human against human, or the world seemingly against us, and it shakes us up. We hear of oppression and bullying and mistreatment of people based on their sexuality or gender identity, and we fear that they might suffer harm. We watch people fleeing from danger being put into detention centres by our government, and we fear for their safety and health. Stories of terrorism abound - bombings in Belgium and Pakistan that kill and wound hundreds; kidnappings, beheadings, shootings, knifings, all of which are designed to strike fear into our hearts. We hear statistics of domestic violence and child abuse, and they scare us - they make us look at our own churches, even our own families, and see possible dangers for ourselves and our children. All around us people get sick, and although we have good medical facilities and hard-working doctors and nurses, people still suffer with health problems, they grow frail and they die.

We know you're a good God, but when we see and hear all these terrible things, we become afraid. And so we call out to you, our mighty God, and we ask you to hear us in our fear. We don't understand why all these terrible things happen, but we thank you that we can trust in you, Lord, knowing that you are in control. We thank you that no matter how big and scary and unstoppable the forces of evil might seem to us, you are bigger and more powerful, and you can stop them, and you will stop them. We take your promises to heart, and we rely on them, knowing that you have set a time when evil will fall, pain will end, and you will call all of your people to come to you forever. Thank you for having that wonderful endgame, and sharing it with us so that we can have that hope.

And with that end in mind, we ask that you will give us faith to stand firm in amongst the many things that we might fear in this world. Give us strength in your spirit to carry your name into dark places, so that all of your children might hear your voice, hear your call, and come back to you.  Make us your hands and your feet, so that we can offer refuge to all who call on you and ask for your help. Fill our hearts with your love for the lost, the marginalised, the mistreated, the oppressed and the weak. Fill us with joy that we can share with them in their distress. Bless us as we give whatever we have, Lord, so that they might see your light and receive your gifts.

We pray for your protection and relief for those who are suffering in the grip of physical and mental health issues. We pray for new mothers and expecting mothers and fathers, that you will be with them and watch over them, and fill them with joy and keep their children safe. We pray for those who have lost loved ones through sickness or violence, that you will be with them in their grief. We pray for those who are struggling financially, that you will ease their burdens. And we pray for those struggling with sin and spiritual darkness, that you will show them your amazing grace, and welcome them into your wonderful light.

All these things we pray, trusting in your son, Jesus Christ, amen.

Prayer - God at work despite our disobedience (Judges 14-15)

Heavenly Father,

We know that you are a holy God, perfect in love, justice and truth. We know that you are set apart from anything or anyone else. You're certainly set apart from us. We're definitely not perfect in love, justice or truth - not as individuals, not as a church, not as a society, and not as the human race. We fall short of your perfect holiness, and yet you tell us, "Be holy, because I am holy," and Jesus tells us, "Be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect."

We are not perfect, and you know that. We are tired, exhausted, sick, troubled and weak. We despair at our condition, and you know that too. So we ask you to have mercy on us, Lord, because we are faint; heal us, Lord, because we are in agony; save and deliver us, Lord, because our souls are in deep anguish. 

And we thank you, our glorious and awesome father, because when we look around this world, full of troubles and sins and suffering, we see you at work through the weakness and inability of your people. We hear about you healing people through medicines and doctors and nurses and people who go out of their way to bring relief to the sick; and we pray that you will continue to heal the sick through your people. We watch videos of you bringing comfort and relief to those who are losing homes, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, children and fields because of persecution they face or because of disasters that strike; and we especially pray for those in Japan who are helping with the earthquake relief efforts there, and for those in Chibok, Nigeria, whose kidnapped daughters have now been missing for two years. We read about those who are taking your message into places it's never been, or to people who've never heard, or who have heard a hundred times before, who are guiding and discipling people into brand new relationships with you; and we pray that you will continue to work in the hearts of all those who hear in prisons, in scripture, in church and everywhere else. And we can look around and see your hand stretching over the adults and children and families in this church, and thank you for the provision you give, the instruction you give, the support you give, the love you give amongst us and between us; and we pray that you might help us as we continue to love and support one another through times of difficulty and stress and even joy - for all the new and expecting mothers and fathers of our church, we pray you will work through your people to provide love, comfort and support.

We know that we can turn our backs on you, and yet we thank you that you never turn your back on us. We are amazed at how you can turn even our weakest moments, even our greatest failures or temptations or sins, into your most glorious successes, into times that will make the heavens fill with songs of gladness. Only you can turn evil into good, O Mighty God - only you can create perfection with such imperfect tools - and we are humbled as you choose to work through our weakness to further show your strength and glory. Help us to embrace our weakness and accept your strength as we rejoice in your glory, and praise your amazing name.

By the grace of Jesus Christ we pray,

Amen

Prayer: Understanding Miracles (John 20:24-31)

Heavenly Father,

All your works are amazing and astounding to us. From the beginning, you created the world and everything in it, suspended in a universe so finely tuned for our survival that the very existence of everything speaks to us of your love and care for us. You made humanity in your own image, and revealed yourself to us, wanting your creation to know its creator and to relate to you in love. Again and again you have chosen to work through the weak, the troubled, the sinful and the scorned, so that when you are victorious - which you always are - your victory is that much more impressive for the path that it came. You chose a man and woman, old and unable to have kids, and turned them into a nation. You took that nation, when it was overpowered and enslaved, and made them your people, giving them freedom and riches and blessings.

When you came into our world as Jesus, you didn't do it as a mighty king backed by legions of angels, or born to the emperor of the most powerful nation. You chose shepherds and foreigners for your ancestors, a carpenter and a vulnerable young woman for your parents. You came without fame or fortune, and yet you healed the sick, drove out demons, and taught us your will with power and authority. You modelled a life of love and holiness, caring for the needs of your creation. And then you did the most amazing thing we can imagine: you defeated our greatest enemies - sin and death - through dying yourself. You made yourself the lowest of the low, a criminal on a cross, cursed for us.

And then you raised Jesus from the dead... and he left again.  Rather than storming the earth and conquering it at the hands of your glorified and risen Son, you sent your spirit to dwell in your people, in ordinary people, in people like us, and you sent them to conquer the world in your name - not with violence, but with love. You have worked through us - ordinary, normal, weak and stuttering and sinful and stumbling people - to bring your loving message to billions. 

And so we come together today, Father, to ask you to continue doing what have done from the beginning. We ask you, Lord, to glorify yourself. Make your name great among all the people that we meet - Waitara locals, family and friends, workmates, acquaintances and strangers. Show your love to us and through us to others, so that more and more people might know you and love you in return. Reveal yourself and your love in every way possible, and give us the faith to know your love and accept it even when it doesn't look like the love we might want.

We pray for those among us who are sick, who are struggling, who are in pain, who are suffering trials of many and various kinds. We ask, in love for them and for you, that you will act in love to them. And we know in faith that you already do. If it is your will to heal them and to make their situations easier, do that and be glorified, Lord. If it is your will that they continue on these difficult paths and you give them the strength to overcome through faith in you, do that and be glorified, Lord.  And if it is your will that they be helped through their pain and suffering by the loving actions of your people, give us the strength to do that, so that you will be glorified, Lord.

And in all these things we pray that you will be revealed to us in greater measure, so that we might know you better, love you more, and live for your glory. And we ask these things in the authority of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen