A PRAYER FOR HEALING AND PEACE

Christ our Lord, As in times past,

Not all the sick and suffering

Found their own way to your side,

But had to have their hands taken,

or their bodies carried, or their names mentioned;

So we, confident of your goodness, bring others to you.

As in times past, You looked at the faith of friends

and let peace and healing be known,

Look on our faith, even our little faith,

And let your kingdom come.

 

We name before you those for whom pain is the greatest problem

Who are remembered more for their distress than for their potential;

Who at night cry, ‘I wish to God it were morning.’

And in the morning cry, ‘I wish to God it were night.’…..

Bring healing, bring peace.

 

We name before you those whose problem is not physical;

Those who are haunted by the nightmares of their past or the specters of their future,

those whose minds are shackled to neuroses, depression and fears,

who do not know what is wrong,

and who do not know what to pray….

Lord Jesus Christ, Lover of all,

Bring healing, bring peace.

 

We name before you

those in whose experience light has turned to darkness,

as the end of a life or the breaking of a relationship

leaves them stunned in their souls and silent in their conversation,

not knowing where to turn or who to turn to

or whether life has any purpose any more….

Lord Jesus Christ, Lover of all,

Bring healing, bring peace.

 

And others whose troubles we do not know

Or whose names we would not say aloud,

We mention now in the silence which you understand……

Lord Jesus Christ, Lover of all,

Bring healing, bring peace.

 

Lord God, you alone are skilled to know the cure

for every sickness and every soul.

If by our lives your grace may be known

Then in us, through us, and, if need be, despite us,

Let your kingdom come.       (John Bell – Iona Community)

A PRAYER FOR THE NATION

Our Father God, we are mindful of our many blessings in this beautiful place, and this highly favored republic. We are grateful for our freedoms, for our democratic institutions, our constitution, our rule of law, and the heritage we enjoy. We pray for our nation, our President, our members of Congress, and other leaders during these difficult times, and for all those who are seeking to bring peace and justice to our dangerous and troubled world. May they have the courage to make difficult decisions for the medical and financial health of our people.

We pray especially for your protection on all those who serve in our policed and armed forces, and we thank you for their commitment to defend our freedoms, even at the cost of their own lives. Be with their families also and assure them of your love and concern for them.

Bring our divided nation together for the common good and give us a greater vision of what you would have us to be. Your Word reminds us that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12)

We recognize great spiritual needs around us: there is much to distress and discourage us.  There is unbelief, religious hypocrisy, sexual immorality, unethical behavior, personal irresponsibility and failure of leadership.

We pray for a spiritual revival, for the raising up of authentic, faithful witnesses to your goodness and truth, for a turning of hearts to your Word, for the silencing of blasphemers, and those in our media and the arts who are responsible for leading impressionable minds into lives of violence, selfishness and promiscuity.

We pray that your Holy Spirit will so inspire and encourage the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the land that many lives may be touched and transformed, and your kingdom will advance in every community.

May marriage and family be honored. May the fruit of the Spirit flourish in all our lives:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Arouse the careless and the indifferent, convict the sinful, humble the self-righteous, restore the fallen, stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the leaders of the earth.  Amen.

(Ted Schroder)