Prayer: Good Shepherd

Here’s a prayer from John van de Laar’s Sacredise.com website.

Prayer:  Good Shepherd

“…he had compassion on them
because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”  Mark 6:34

Good Shepherd,
Teach us to follow you
to care for all that are close to us,
to protect those who are threatened,
to welcome those who are rejected,
to forgive those who are burdened by guilt,
to heal those who are broken and sick,
to share with those who have little or nothing,
to take the time to really know one another
and love as you have loved us.

Good Shepherd,
Teach us to follow you
to spread compassion to those who are far away,
to speak for those who are voiceless,
to defend those who are oppressed and abused,
to work for justice for those who are exploited,
to make peace for those who suffer violence,
to take the time to recognise our connectedness,
and to love as you have loved us.

Good Shepherd,
Teach us to follow you
and to be faithful to calling you gave us
to be shepherds in your name.

— written by John van de Laar, and posted on the Sacredise website.  Visit his site for many other excellent lectionary-based worship resources.

For more worship resources on the shepherd theme, click on Psalm 23 in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page.  You could also explore the resources for Easter 4 (A, B or C) – often known as “Good Shepherd” Sunday.