Here’s
a prayer of intercession from the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship website.
It was written by Rev. Fraser Penny, inspired by John 15.
Prayer for Others
(inspired by John
15:1-8)
Jesus
Christ, the true vine,
in
our need we come to You,
in
weakness,
needing
Your strength
for
we too easily become dry and lifeless
without
Your life-giving spirit.
Jesus
Christ, the true vine,
teach
us to remain in You
and
so to find Your life flowing in us
giving
strength and vigour to our discipleship.
And
as we come closer to You
our
lives are drawn closer to others.
Our
minds turn to images of violence we have seen on the news
in
places of fear and terror,
to
where people are at loggerheads,
over
race, religion, land, power.
Our
thoughts turn to Christians living with persecution
who
face danger, simply for being linked to You.
Father,
prune back all that stands in the way of peace.
Our
thoughts turn to people in leadership and power –
who
have decisions to make over the economy
and
people whose jobs and livelihood will be affected.
We
pray for our nation, and its leaders.
May
changes and choices be shaped by the values of the kingdom.
On
our hearts are people in need in our church and community.
Wherever
hearts are breaking,
bodies are failing,
minds are confused
families are ruptured:
Lord,
come with Your help and healing.
Here,
too, as Your church gathered today,
we
give thanks for the saints of the past
and
the fruit they have borne in our community and beyond.
Like
them, help us to remain in You
that
we may be fruitful and bring glory to Your name.
Through
Jesus Christ, the true vine. Amen
~
written by Rev. Fraser Penny, Minister of Dunkeld Parish Church, and posted on
the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship
website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/48423/A_29_April_Fraser_Penny_5_after_Easter_formatted.pdf
