O God of Wonders, Grant us opportunities for celebrations of answered prayers this week, places where we see light break through the darkness, hope arise in the face of despair, and peace prevail in areas of conflict. Let joy and gratitude erupt spontaneously from our hearts, as we see you bring deep healing to places of sickness and disease. Hear our deepest yearnings today from the depths of our souls, we cry out to You, O God of our salvation.
As people in the U.S. prepare to mark the national holiday commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 19th, we pray in thanksgiving for the efforts of peace, non-violent protests, and the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s, which led to legislation protecting certain rights of minorities and marginalized persons. O God of Justice and Peace, we pray for communities that are volunteering time, talent, and treasure to promote goodness and justice. We pray for Orlando, Florida, U.S., that is honoring this day by gathering 5,000 volunteers to pack one million meals for the community. We pray for Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., and the King Center in their year-round efforts to continue King’s legacy by recruiting and supplying volunteers for humanitarian assistance.
We cry out in the aftermath of the death of Renee Good, a mother of three in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., who was fatally shot in her car by a masked ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent on January 7th, with the resulting grief of the community and continued protests against the federally-dispatched ICE agents in that city. Have mercy, O Lord. We ask you to awaken the consciences of local law enforcement officials and federalized troops in cities, that they may learn and remember what you require of your children: to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. Grant humility and empathy to these masked agents, who seem more emboldened to harm others while protected by their face-masked anonymity. Let your love and mercy break through to any hardened hearts of persons created in your image and likeness who have forgotten their Source of Hope, who have forgotten how to love.
Lord God, amid the wars and rumors of wars, we pray for renewed consciences and renewed respect for sovereign nations.
- We pray for the U.S. to recognize the Greenland’s status as a sovereign territory of Denmark, following the U.S. President’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric and stated desire to either peacefully or forcefully gain control of Greenland for its rare-earth minerals and strategic location in the Arctic. We pray for Greenland’s future, the peace of the region, and the ongoing threats to Denmark and NATO international treaties. Hear our prayers, Almighty God, O Prince of Peace, O Creator of all the Earth.
- We pray for the people of Venezuela and its ongoing leadership after the U.S. government led a military operation to surreptitiously capture and extract then sitting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3rd, and the subsequent seizure of its oil tankers and threatened seizure of all its oil assets. Hear our prayers, O Ruler of the Nations. Let future leaders of Venezuela emerge to rule this nation with justice, equity, and peace.
- We pray for the thousands of protesters from all walks of life in the streets of cities and communities across the Islamic Republic of Iran. The protests continue to increase in number and anger against the repressive religious regime, which has restricted political and social freedoms, including the imposition of hijabs on women. Protests surged after soaring food and essential prices were reported in recent weeks, along with the collapse of Iran’s currency. Hear the cries of your oppressed people in Iran, O God of Justice, as they pour out their complaints in the streets. Grant the leaders of Iran wisdom and the pathways to navigate this social unrest as the situation continues to escalate with arrests, fires, and increased bloodshed. Give the leaders ears to hear your wisdom from their advisors within their country and from allies with influence in other countries around the world.
God of Mercy and Care, we pray for humanitarian work in many countries. We pray for philanthropic efforts in nations around the world that help fund food programs, provide clean water, build shelters, and eradicate diseases. We specifically name a few organizations this week: the World Food Program, World Central Kitchen, Lifewater International, Planet Water Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Institute of Global Homelessness, and the World Health Organization. O God, awaken and employ more philanthropists with increased generosity. We pray for the workers and those who distribute the resources to make wise decisions of focused care and assistance.
We pray for the International Space Station mission and work as an astronaut’s “serious medical condition” requires NASA (U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to curtail the mission and return the astronaut to Earth prematurely, leaving a skeleton crew behind. Thank you, O God, for the wonders of space, science, experiments, and the work of highly-skilled astronauts. We pray for healing and professional medical assistance for the one who is ailing.
We cry out for the precious children of the world in inhospitable places and spaces in South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen, Palestine, and Haiti:
- We pray for the children, the hungry children… the ones who need sustenance.
- We pray for the children in temporary shelters subject to intense cold and heat.
- We pray for the displaced and wandering children who have no place to call home.
- We pray for the migrating children on boats, in vehicles, in cramped and crowded conditions, traveling to places yet unknown, hoping for a better life, not knowing where the next morsel of food or drink of water will come from.
- We pray for the children who have been conscripted into armies to fight on one side or another of various armed conflicts, children who have been taught to hate enemies, to throw rocks, shoot weapons, and aim at other precious children.
- We pray for young children who have been sold into workplaces and factories to work many hours a day in places where there are no child labor laws to protect the vulnerable.
- We pray for the children’s bodies that have suffered the traumas of war wounds, loss of limbs, loss of eyes, loss of hearing, burns, broken and shattered bones.
Jesus, you invite the children to come unto you. You welcome children with open arms. Help us to be more like you in welcoming, loving, and caring for the needs of the children of your world.
As we cry out to you, O Lord God, we acknowledge our heavy hearts as we weep over losses, tragedies, injustice, famine, deadly diseases, and pervasive greed. We cry with the psalmist, “You are our help and our deliverer, O Lord, do not delay!” (Psalm 70) We also rejoice in the good news of places and spaces where lives are being saved, healing is happening, necessary supplies are being distributed, and light and love are breaking through. “By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.” (Psalm 65)
Hear our prayers, O God of Mercy and Love. Amen.
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