Here is a prayer of intercession for the fourth Sunday of Epiphany. It was written by Bruce Prewer.
Prayer for Others: Epiphany 4B
Most holy Friend, Saviour of those who call on you, please give us more of the compassion and authority of Jesus. Embolden us to heal the multiple diseases that afflict humanity and drive out the demons that afflict our contemporary world. Hear us, O God.
Loving God, in your abundant grace, hear our prayers
Send your agents to lands that lie under darkness and oppression; where government is corrupt, justice is rare, abuse is endemic, and the weak and the poor have nowhere to turn for hope. Please increase the spiritual authority of the Red Cross, Amnesty, and Christian World Service, to more adequately become your ready channels of compassion, justice, practical aid, reconciliation and peace. Hear us, O God.
Loving God, in your abundant grace, hear our prayers
Send your messengers to situations where diseases like Aids are reaping a grim harvest. Especially we pray for the afflicted nations of Africa and Asia. Please give authority to people of disciplined compassion, to provide pharmaceutical help, nursing care, and better health education that will drive out the demons of superstition and fatalism. Hear us, O God.
Loving God, in your abundant grace, hear our prayers
Send your servants into places where food is scarce and crops are poor. Please strengthen the authority of those local leaders and outside advisers, who seek to empower the people to conserve water, dig new wells, plant trees, grow new food crops, farm fish, start new cottage industries, and obtain better prices for their goods. Hear us, O God.
Loving God, in your abundant grace, hear our prayers
Send your human angels of mercy into situations, both here and abroad, where there is neglect, illness, sorrow, frustration and anger. Please give some of the compassionate authority of Jesus to chaplains in hospitals and prisons, to nurses and ambulance offices, physicians and surgeons, social workers and foster parents, police officers and counsellors. Hear us, O God.
Loving God, in your abundant grace, hear our prayers
Send your gifts of comfort and great joy among the many congregations of your church. May more of the spiritual authority of Jesus empower every ordinary church member, and the wisdom and compassion of Christ enlarge the ministries of lay leaders and ordained pastors. By the grace of Christ, may our deeds more adequately match our creeds, and our love expand to embrace those misfits who appear lonely and unlovable. Hear us, O God.
Loving God, in your abundant grace, hear our prayers
God, our most holy Friend, in your mercy may we go from strength to strength in things of the spirit, and become the lovers and the agents of that holy awe which is the beginning of true wisdom.
Through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
— written by Bruce Prewer, and posted on Bruce Prewer’s Homepage.
For more worship resources for January 29, 2012 (the fourth Sunday after Epiphany), click on Epiphany 4B in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page.
For more prayer resources on this blog, see the Scriptural Index of Prayers at the upper right side of the page.
