Prayer for Others: God's Provision

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and intercession inspired by the ways in which God cared for the Israelites while in the wilderness.

Prayer for Others

God,

like the Israelites in the wilderness,

we too have known Your love,

and experienced Your care and provision.

You invite us to extend that love to the world around us—

to care for others as deeply as we care for ourselves.

And so we bring the needs of our world before You now.

In Your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the many who do not have enough:

  enough food to eat, or shelter to keep warm;

  enough employment, or money to pay their bills;

  enough medicine or medical care.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

We also pray for those who have more than enough,

  but who still struggle to find meaning and purpose in life;

  who indulge in dangerous or self-serving activities

      to dull their pain or loneliness.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

God, Your grace reaches out to all of us.

You call us to live as citizens of heaven,

working together with one heart and mind.

Strengthen us to live in a manner worthy

of the Good News we have received,

offering our lives in service of Your kingdom,

where the last are first, and the first are last,

and there is grace enough for all.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, Amen.

~ Christine Longhurst, re:Worship

Opening Prayer: Living Water

Here’s an opening prayer, inspired by the suggested RCL scripture readings for the third Sunday in Lent, Year A. It was written by Rev. Karla and posted on RevGalBlogPals (see link below).

Opening Prayer

(inspired by Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 95, John 4:5-42)

Holy Watering One,

Fount of Every Blessing,

We come to you this morning,

Opening our parched places to receive

the springs of living water

You offer to us.

Most of the time,

most of us don’t even know we are thirsty.

We don’t know the deep dehydration

that scours our bones and parches our hearts.

Sometimes, when our thirst pangs emerge,

We draw from the enticing wells

of the world’s offering of power and profit,

which leave us even more empty.

Still us, God,

so we might listen to You speaking to us,

knowing us, seeing us, loving us.

Fill us with your Living Water

that will transform our spirits and souls

into springs that burst forth

with life and love

for your people, for ourselves, and for our world.

~ written by Rev. Karla and posted on RevGalBlogPals. https://revgalblogpals.org/2017/03/18/sunday-prayer-213/

Call to Worship: John 4: 5-42

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by John 4:5-42. It was written by Tim Graves, and posted on LiturgyBits.

Call to Worship: Living Water

(inspired by john 4:5-42)

Turn the tap and water comes out.
Clean, refreshing water quenches our thirst.

Stop at the market, twist open the cap.
Spring water crosses our lips

and our craving is satisfied.

Step outdoors. Look up.
The clouds dampen our faces

and nourish the earth.

Jesus answered,

“Everyone who drinks this water

will be thirsty again.” (John 4:13 CEB)
After a time, we all thirst again. 

“but whoever drinks from the water that I will give

will never be thirsty again.

The water that I give will become in those who drink it

a spring of water that bubbles up into eternal life.” (John 4:14 CEB)

Please give us this water

that we may never be thirsty again.

Come see the one

who turns our thinking and our world upside down.

Come see and experience

the love that knows no bounds.

Praise be to God! 

Praise be to Jesus,

whose life draws from the well of God’s dreams.
Praise be to Christ Jesus,

whose love and justice quenches our thirst

with living water. Amen.

~ written by Tim Graves, and posted on LiturgyBits. https://liturgybits.wordpress.com

Reflection: John 4:5-42

Here’s a reflection on John 4:5-42 from Reverend Sarah Agnew. It was posted on sarah tells stories (see link below).

beside Jacob’s well

(inspired by John 4:5–42)

By the well of Jacob,

Jesus met a woman;

by the well of Jacob,

on foreign, enemy land.

By the well of Jacob,

Jesus asked the woman:

from the well of Jacob

to draw him, please, a drink.

By the well of Jacob

the woman asked him, Why,

by the well of Jacob

he came, he stopped, he spoke?

By the well of Jacob

Jesus told her of water

that neither the well of Jacob,

nor any other well could supply.

By the well of Jacob,

her thirst fast awakened

by the well of Jesus,

holy mystery of life.

To the well of Jacob

she summoned her neighbours – friends;

where, at the well of Jacob,

once she had been alone.

By the well of Jacob,

Jesus’ friends now returned;

by the well of Jacob, you’re

doing what? They were bemused.

By the well of Jacob,

they offered him food to eat;

at the well of Life I eat,

by living the Way of Love.

By the well of Jacob,

Jesus met a woman;

by the well of Jacob,

on foreign, enemy land.

~ written by Reverend Sarah Agnew. Posted on sarah tells stories. http://sarahtellsstories.blogspot.ca/