Prayer for Others: John 3

Here’s a prayer of intercession, written by Bruce Prewer in conjunction with John 3:14-21.  It was posted on http://www.bruceprewer.com/.

Prayer of Intercession
(inspired by John 3:14-21)

Today, Christian friends, I ask you to especially pray for those people for whom we hold scant respect. The ones we tend to write off as no hopers. I ask you to pray for them because God loves each one of them just as much as each of us, and it is not God’s desire that even the worst rogue should perish.

Let us pray.

God of the whole human family, we pray for drug addicts, dealers, alcoholics, gamblers, those who cheat and rob their own families, and those who mug vulnerable passers-by.

In your mercy, gracious God,
Hear our prayer

We pray for violent teenage gangs, for rebellious kids who run away for good homes, those who milk the social welfare system, and respectable business men who cheat the elderly out of their life savings.

In your mercy, gracious God,
Hear our prayer

We pray for prostitutes, pimps and their customers, for paedophiles, those who exploit children to make porn movies, and those who employ illegal immigrants in sweat shops.

In your mercy, gracious God,
Hear our prayer

We pray for terrorists in many lands, for underworld bosses, minders and hit men; for rapists, stalkers, seducers, and those who commit domestic violence.

In your mercy, gracious God,
Hear our prayer

We pray for bank robbers and tax evaders, shop lifters and vandals, con-men, pickpockets, computer criminals, and burglars who bash the elderly in their homes.

In your mercy, gracious God,
Hear our prayer

We pray for people who gravely abuse their positions of trust or power; corrupt lawyers, doctors, politicians, teachers, police officers, prison officers and ministers of religion.

In your mercy, gracious God,
Hear our prayer

Most loving God, please do not allow us to become defeatist and bitter. Make us more eager for redemption rather than retribution, and encourage us to employ the tough love of Christ in the affairs of our neighbourhood and nation. For your name’s sake. Amen.

~ written by Bruce Prewer, and posted on Bruce Prewer’s Home Page.  http://www.bruceprewer.com/.