Prayer Opportunities and Prayer Requests

Keep us, good Lord,

Under the shadow of your mercy.

Sustain and support the anxious,

Be with those who care for the sick,

And lift up all who are brought low;

That we may find comfort

Knowing that nothing can separate us from your love

In Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

In the darkest and most worrying moments of life, people of all ages and every culture have raised their prayers to almighty God. We do so now. 

This prayer is framed by words written 3,000 years ago, words from Psalm 88.

Lord, our God, by day we call for help,

By night we cry aloud in your presence.

Let our prayers come before you.

Hear our loud entreaty:

For we have had our fill of woes,

Which have brought us to the brink of despair.

For those who are suffering from this dreadful disease, all who have lost loved ones, all those whose loss or suffering have been turned into the statistics we see on our daily news bulletins;

For everyone living in fear, shut into their homes, somehow surviving on the streets; 

for those afraid their jobs or their livelihoods may be at stake, 

for those whose fear is turning to panic;

For policy-makers, front-line workers, health workers and care providers, 

and all those working so hard to develop a vaccine;

For the over 70s, those with underlying health risks, for pregnant women; 

for good neighbours and loving friends, for those closest to us in this time of need;

Will your wonders be known in the region of darkness?

Your victories in the land of oblivion?

Dear Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Father God, 

please bring comfort to those who have lost loved ones,

healing to those who are sick,

strength to those who are caring for them

and wisdom to those who are organising the response.

In it all, help us Your people to trust in You and be carriers of hope & reassurance, healing and peace in every situation.in Jesus’ name, Amen

Have mercy on us, those who suffer from mental illness.

Please bring us comfort during our darkest hours and free us from confusion and emptiness.

Help us cling to You, Lord, when symptoms take over our very being.

We pray that Your Holy Spirit residing deep within us awakens our hearts and minds.

Loving God, You are always near to us, especially when we are weak, suffering and vulnerable. Reach out to those who experience mental illness. Lift their burdens, calm their anxiety, and quiet their fears. Surround them with your healing presence that they may know that they are not alone.

For those feeling unwanted and unloved,

for those who can love everyone but themselves,

for those who feel that the world would be better off without them,

Creator of us all, hear our prayer.

Send your rainbow of hope

arching over these dark moments. . . .

Your presence a bridge to one more day.

Tender God, Your gentle and kind-hearted love waits for us in the darkness and shields us from the light when it feels too overwhelming. We remember today all those who live in the depths of depression. Continue to cherish us all when we find it so difficult to cherish ourselves.

O Lord, hear me as I pray;

    pay attention to my groaning.

Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,

    for I pray to no one but you.

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.

    Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5 v1-3)