Prayers of the People: August 7, 2011

Here is a possible prayer of intercession for August 7, 2011 (Proper 14A), based on three of the suggested scripture texts for that Sunday: 

            Matthew 14:22-33 (where Jesus walks on water);

            Genesis 37:1-28 (where Joseph is sold into slavery by his own brothers);

            and I Kings 18:8-19 (where the prophet Elijah finds himself fleeing for his life

                        from Queen Jezebel, and then encounters God at Mount Horeb).

If you are not working with all of these texts, feel free to edit the prayer to suit your needs.

Prayer of Intercession: Proper 14A

God,

You have called us to be a people of prayer—

to continue the ministry of intercession handed on to us

by Jesus Christ Himself.

And so we come before You with confidence,

bringing our prayers for the world You love.

In Your mercy, hear and answer. 

We pray for those who, like Jesus’ disciples,

find themselves surrounded by high winds and stormy seas;

those who feel overwhelmed by events and circumstances—

            the loss of a job,

            the death of a loved one,

            serious accident or illness,

            chronic pain,

            depression,

            or divorce—

and who don’t know where to turn.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those who, like Joseph,

find themselves deeply wounded by people they love—

people they thought they knew and trusted—

and who are struggling to know how to respond.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those who, like Peter,

are experiencing a crisis of faith;

who long to whole-heartedly trust in God

but are held back by questions and doubts.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those who, like the prophet Elijah,

have fallen into despair;

who have begun to doubt God’s presence and power;

or question God’s call in their lives.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those who, like Joseph,

have had their hopes and dreams crushed;

those whose lives have suddenly taken a different turn,

and who now wonder what lies ahead for them.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Loving God, it is not Your will that any should suffer.

We offer our prayers for all those who hunger and thirst,

those who live in the midst of violence or poverty,

and those who feel abandoned or ignored by the world around them.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Through the life-giving power of Your Holy Spirit,

make Your sustaining presence known to all who are in pain or need,

so that they, too, may know Your love and live.

In the name Jesus Christ, our Saviour,

who lives to intercede for us,

Amen.