Prayer From Rondebosch United Church

We heard and were moved by this prayer at our worship at the Rondebosch Church.

Prayer of Intercession

Rondebosch United Church

17^th October 2010

Lord of love, we bring so many emotions with us as we pray together this morning. We are at the same time feeling elated, a sense of privilege, humbled, saddened, shocked, hopeful

We are elated by the good news of human endurance, perseverance, struggle against odds … by the rescue of miners stuck underground for ten weeks; elated by celebrations of life that we find in birthday parties, by achievements in education and at work.

We pray that you will give elation and joy to those who love life.

We are privileged when we hear of the initiative, commitment and compassion of people of all faiths who work to bring healing and love to people who suffer.  People working in rural hospitals and providing care beyond their professional calling; people providing help to communities in need across the globe. People who bring energy to anything they do, who initiate processes that empower people to control their own lives. 

We pray that you will continue to give peace and the knowledge of your presence to those who show such commitment.

We are humbled by the strength of people living in hardship, not giving up; continuing to care as best they can for children, family, friends, community. Humbled by the courage of people who are ill but do not complain; who love no matter what. 

We pray that you will give strength and courage to those who find things harder than they think they can endure; more painful or difficult than we can imagine.  We pray that you will bring healing to those who are ill.

We are saddened by the corruption that appears endemic in our society.  Saddened by crimes that have become excessive in their violence; by a society that has somehow shunned individuals to such a degree that they have turned on that society. Saddened that the excitement of real democracy is turning to cynicism in some and that people are turning inwards to protect rather than outwards to give and encourage and resolve.

We pray that your Spirit will inhabit the lives of people who have the responsibility to bring to justice those who are corrupt or violent. We pray that individual acts of subverting wrongdoing will add to making the whole good; to creating a national determination for sharing the country’s resources, natural and human.

We are shocked by natural disaster and the suffering it brings to so many; shocked by human systems that bring suffering to millions.

We pray that shock will lead us to act.

We do, through faith, usually come around to being hopeful.  There is hope in so many acts that are played out every day: acts of compassion, of determination to make things better for the people in the immediate vicinity; voices that cry out for justice, for laws that enable freedom rather than curtailing it.

We pray for the continued determination to engage in both random acts of kindness and in the willingness to change in ways that create a greater good.

And so we pray for liberation from fears, pride, selfishness and greed. We pray for the liberation to love.

We bring you our prayers through our Lord Jesus

Amen.