“Prayer is nothing else than a sense of God’s presence.” ~ Brother Laurence (lay brother, Paris, France 1614-1691)
“Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God.” ~ Mother Theresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)
“We have to pray with our eyes on God and not on the difficulties.” ~ Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)
“I (Jesus) tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” ~ Mark 11:24
In this month of the Season of Creation, as ever God, you call us to live in harmony with nature. You will that ours are the hands to do this – where we are. We give thanks for all local projects, whether big or small, healing our wounded earth and changing attitudes to the use and abuse of your love-gifted resources meant for all.
Creator God, bless and multiply these efforts so your will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
With every news bulletin, despair and fear looms. Floods in Europe, UK, Nigeria and central Africa; hurricanes and tropical storms devastating communities from Mexico to the USA to Mozambique to Japan; drought continuing in South America is affecting Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. This is paralleled in Africa in Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Yemen. Climate change is wreaking havoc on every continent.
Creator God, you have given wisdom to the First Nations how to live in harmony with nature. Give the rest of us the humility to learn from them and be co-guardians of this beautiful, resilient but fragile planet you have provided for us all.
Instead of food for all, feasting and celebration with hospitality for all visitors and strangers, we hear the desperate, pain-filled cries of starving children and people of all ages falling into whimpering, then silence as they die for lack of food, clean water, and sanitation. We hold before you, God, all those suffering in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan, the Sudans, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Lesotho, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Mexico, and in refugee camps across the world where violence and political turmoil prevent humanitarian efforts. Shamefully in our own countries, due to the twisted methods of our economic and political systems, we leave people choosing between food, heating, rent, or medicine.
God of all, you provide all that is necessary for all our needs not wants. Too often our thoughtless selfishness and greed demand an obscene number of choices and amounts which our planet cannot produce and which we don’t need. Our over-indulgence creates massive health issues which can be solved by a change of our attitude, and would release food so all, everywhere, could have food.
Creator God, you have given wisdom to the First Nations how to live in harmony with nature. Give the rest of us the humility to learn from them and be co-guardians of this beautiful, resilient but fragile planet you have provided for us all.
Instead of birdsong, the cries of the spheres, gurgling streams and splashing waterfalls, we hear tanks, drones, bombs, missiles, artillery firing and cries of agony and grief. Our medics are overwhelmed by the broken, mangled, burned bodies of people of all ages whom they are trying to help, often with minimal resources. Yet world-leading governments choose to continue to arm those on all sides who are committing genocide. But it is not in their countries. If it were, would they think and act differently?
Old men with dead eyes and power-greedy souls cause young men to do things they should never see or do – leaving them with deadened eyes and souls.
Lord, you are the Savior of all. You faced down evil with love on Calvary. We pray for the humility to walk your way of peacemaking confronting evil with the greatest power on earth, Love. You know the way we should go to bring this about through the power of your Holy Spirit. Guide us to listen to your prompts and dare to listen to and follow Jesus, the Prince of Peace. So your kingdom will come on earth as in heaven.
Creator God, one-in-three, help us remember to live out that the Gospel is not:
“God so hated the world that he predestined it to eternal damnation.” (John L. Bell, 10 things they never told me about Jesus, Wild Goose Publications, 2009)
The Gospel is:
“God so loved the world that he sent his son.” (John 3:16)
AMEN.
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