This morning, I have been blessed to share in church services from all my previous churches. The message I am receiving in abundance is to keep praying.
One prayer which I heard today was: "Renew our hope, God our Father, by the Holy Spirit's power. Strengthen us to pray readily, to serve joyfully and to grow abundantly, rejoicing in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
The church building may be closed but the church should be out of work. Palm Sunday was the day Jesus journeyed into Jerusalem, met by the crowds. We may not be able to physically go on a journey, or meet in crowds but we can meet spiritually in crowds and journey together towards Easter.
I started writing this post during the week, inspired by Sutton Vineyard's creative approaches to prayer for this week. One suggestion was to pray for each letter of the alphabet.
So I have done.
God bless you and keep you safe this week.
A- Anxiety- Please God, bless all those who are anxious. Help calm their fears.
B -Boris Johnson- Please God, I didn't like him or vote for him but he is in charge so we better pray he is the best he can be and this is a chance for him to change for the better. Please give him wisdom, discernment and help make him better. I pray you bless ALL leaders such as him to make wise and dilligent choices.
C- Cure- Thank you for those who have studied hard at Science. Lord, I pray you will help our scientists to find a cure for the Virus, curiously quickly- let it be developed quicker. Please bless the scientists so they can develop a vaccine that will cure the disease.
D- Delivery workers- Thank you for their hard work God. Please God keep all those who are delivering food and goods in anyway- Milkmen, Postmen, Supermarket workers, van drivers,
Ignorance - Lord, for those who are ignorant and stubborn, please make them realise the importance of doing the right thing.
E- Energy: Lord, please give energy to those who are going out to work and energy to face the challenges daily.
F- Faith: Thank you for keeping us safe so far. Please help people to have faith in you God and choose faith as opposed to fear.
G- Governments: help governments to cooperate and make the right choices.
H - Hospitals- Lord, I pray you will help hospitals to be sanctuaries, clean and with all the equipment needed to help those in
I- Immunity- I pray that those who come into contact with the virus will be immune, that they will have no harmful effects because of disease. Thank you for those who are immune and have had no ill effects.
J- Joy- Thank you for all moments of joy we still experience despite all the unknowns. I pray that everyone will find joy each and every day. Even the small joys of managing to buy flour, the joy of seeing a rainbow in a window, the joy of being with their family, the joy of a phonecall, help us ALL Lord, to seek and to see clearly, the joys every day.
K- Kindness- Lord, help everyone to show kindness to each other. Give us opportunities to KNOW where we can help, give us the KNOWLEDGE of how to help others and KINDLE a yearning in us to help others. Thank you for all those opportunities people have taken to be kind to one another.
L - Loneliness- God bless all those who are lonely- because they are alone, because they are isolated for whatever reason. I pray that they will put their trust in you. I pray that those who love them and know them will call them and take away from their loneliness.
M- Miracle- we need miracles in times like now. Lord, I pray you will make a miracle happen. I pray the cure will be found. I pray there will be no deaths on Easter Sunday, I pray that the virus will be cured and not be seen again like the previous SARS.
N- NHS- we pray for the NHS. God bless and keep our Doctors, nurses, health care assistants, administrators, cleaners and all those who are working to fight the disease. Thank you so much for their hardwork and sacrifice.
O- Opportunity- Lord, the Earth is getting some chance to rest with less vehicles moving around. Thank you for that. I pray that this will teach us that it is possible to make choices to save our Earth from destruction. I pray that our Earth will take this opportunity to recover- air quality, melted icebergs, oceans and rubbish. I also pray this opportunity makes us notice all those people who do Overlooked but important jobs. Help us to value them and notice them.
P- Police- Lord, give good health and wisdom to the police as they make sure people are doing the right thing. I pray they have all the equipment and protection they need and that they stay safe from germs, danger and reaction from those they have to reprimand. Thank you for their hardwork.
Q- Questioning- For all those with questions- be they children at home learning and not understanding, for those who are seeking the answers to issues, for those who are questioning their faith, for those questioning how they will get home, for those questioning when life will return to normal, for those who are questioning how they will live their lives after this, I pray you will answer those questions, positively Lord.
R- Rest- help everyone to get the rest they need for recovery, for recuperation time, for rest and good sleep for those who are able to go out of work, for rest for those who are at home to make their immune systems strong. To Revive a spirit of faith in all of us to give us rest in You Lord, that we may find out Refuge, Recovery and comfort in you.
S-Selfishness- Lord, I pray you take away the spirit of selfishness that is making people have secret gatherings, taking too much from the shops, that is causing them to take risks, those who are refusing to accept what is really happening (like Donald Trump)
T- Transformation- Our lives have changed so much over the past few weeks. Transform our lives in a good way as a result of this difficult time, not in a bad way. I pray this will help us all, the rich, the poor, the powerful, the weak, the clever, the ignorant to realise the deep need for change in our lives and to make these changes happen in a good way.
U- Unemployment- for those who are worried about the consequences, for those who have lost their jobs already, for those who are worried how they will survive, Lord, please help those people
V- Vegetables and Vitamins- I pray that everyone will have access to fresh vegetables and healthy foods to give their bodies the best possible chance with all the vitamins they need. I also pray that those growing their own vegetables will be successful. I thank you for all the vegetables we have had access to.
Wealthy- Lord, I pray those who have utter riches such as the super billionaires and moghuls will take the opportunity to share and donate their riches to help the world to recover.
X- Xenophobia- Lord, we've seen a lot of Xenophobia from people as this crisis has grown from fear of foreigners to abuse of Chinese and refugess being refused rights. I pray that there will be no xenophobia and that all, regardless of faith, will be helped.
Y -Youth- we've all heard reports of selfishness and thoughtlessness from youths from those spitting on people to those gathering in the parks. Lord, take away the self-centredness, the arrogance from those who think they can do anything without consequences. For those youths who are frightened, please reassure them and keep them motivated to work at home/
Z - Zoom- Thank you so much Lord for this program which is helping many, many people work and stay connected. I pray that it will continue to work effectively and not to cause any issues.
Amen.
This was inspired by Sutton Vineyard's challenge to pray the alphabet.
One prayer which I heard today was: "Renew our hope, God our Father, by the Holy Spirit's power. Strengthen us to pray readily, to serve joyfully and to grow abundantly, rejoicing in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
The church building may be closed but the church should be out of work. Palm Sunday was the day Jesus journeyed into Jerusalem, met by the crowds. We may not be able to physically go on a journey, or meet in crowds but we can meet spiritually in crowds and journey together towards Easter.
I started writing this post during the week, inspired by Sutton Vineyard's creative approaches to prayer for this week. One suggestion was to pray for each letter of the alphabet.
So I have done.
God bless you and keep you safe this week.
A- Anxiety- Please God, bless all those who are anxious. Help calm their fears.
B -Boris Johnson- Please God, I didn't like him or vote for him but he is in charge so we better pray he is the best he can be and this is a chance for him to change for the better. Please give him wisdom, discernment and help make him better. I pray you bless ALL leaders such as him to make wise and dilligent choices.
C- Cure- Thank you for those who have studied hard at Science. Lord, I pray you will help our scientists to find a cure for the Virus, curiously quickly- let it be developed quicker. Please bless the scientists so they can develop a vaccine that will cure the disease.
D- Delivery workers- Thank you for their hard work God. Please God keep all those who are delivering food and goods in anyway- Milkmen, Postmen, Supermarket workers, van drivers,
Ignorance - Lord, for those who are ignorant and stubborn, please make them realise the importance of doing the right thing.
E- Energy: Lord, please give energy to those who are going out to work and energy to face the challenges daily.
F- Faith: Thank you for keeping us safe so far. Please help people to have faith in you God and choose faith as opposed to fear.
G- Governments: help governments to cooperate and make the right choices.
H - Hospitals- Lord, I pray you will help hospitals to be sanctuaries, clean and with all the equipment needed to help those in
I- Immunity- I pray that those who come into contact with the virus will be immune, that they will have no harmful effects because of disease. Thank you for those who are immune and have had no ill effects.
J- Joy- Thank you for all moments of joy we still experience despite all the unknowns. I pray that everyone will find joy each and every day. Even the small joys of managing to buy flour, the joy of seeing a rainbow in a window, the joy of being with their family, the joy of a phonecall, help us ALL Lord, to seek and to see clearly, the joys every day.
K- Kindness- Lord, help everyone to show kindness to each other. Give us opportunities to KNOW where we can help, give us the KNOWLEDGE of how to help others and KINDLE a yearning in us to help others. Thank you for all those opportunities people have taken to be kind to one another.
L - Loneliness- God bless all those who are lonely- because they are alone, because they are isolated for whatever reason. I pray that they will put their trust in you. I pray that those who love them and know them will call them and take away from their loneliness.
M- Miracle- we need miracles in times like now. Lord, I pray you will make a miracle happen. I pray the cure will be found. I pray there will be no deaths on Easter Sunday, I pray that the virus will be cured and not be seen again like the previous SARS.
N- NHS- we pray for the NHS. God bless and keep our Doctors, nurses, health care assistants, administrators, cleaners and all those who are working to fight the disease. Thank you so much for their hardwork and sacrifice.
O- Opportunity- Lord, the Earth is getting some chance to rest with less vehicles moving around. Thank you for that. I pray that this will teach us that it is possible to make choices to save our Earth from destruction. I pray that our Earth will take this opportunity to recover- air quality, melted icebergs, oceans and rubbish. I also pray this opportunity makes us notice all those people who do Overlooked but important jobs. Help us to value them and notice them.
P- Police- Lord, give good health and wisdom to the police as they make sure people are doing the right thing. I pray they have all the equipment and protection they need and that they stay safe from germs, danger and reaction from those they have to reprimand. Thank you for their hardwork.
Q- Questioning- For all those with questions- be they children at home learning and not understanding, for those who are seeking the answers to issues, for those who are questioning their faith, for those questioning how they will get home, for those questioning when life will return to normal, for those who are questioning how they will live their lives after this, I pray you will answer those questions, positively Lord.
R- Rest- help everyone to get the rest they need for recovery, for recuperation time, for rest and good sleep for those who are able to go out of work, for rest for those who are at home to make their immune systems strong. To Revive a spirit of faith in all of us to give us rest in You Lord, that we may find out Refuge, Recovery and comfort in you.
S-Selfishness- Lord, I pray you take away the spirit of selfishness that is making people have secret gatherings, taking too much from the shops, that is causing them to take risks, those who are refusing to accept what is really happening (like Donald Trump)
T- Transformation- Our lives have changed so much over the past few weeks. Transform our lives in a good way as a result of this difficult time, not in a bad way. I pray this will help us all, the rich, the poor, the powerful, the weak, the clever, the ignorant to realise the deep need for change in our lives and to make these changes happen in a good way.
U- Unemployment- for those who are worried about the consequences, for those who have lost their jobs already, for those who are worried how they will survive, Lord, please help those people
V- Vegetables and Vitamins- I pray that everyone will have access to fresh vegetables and healthy foods to give their bodies the best possible chance with all the vitamins they need. I also pray that those growing their own vegetables will be successful. I thank you for all the vegetables we have had access to.
Wealthy- Lord, I pray those who have utter riches such as the super billionaires and moghuls will take the opportunity to share and donate their riches to help the world to recover.
X- Xenophobia- Lord, we've seen a lot of Xenophobia from people as this crisis has grown from fear of foreigners to abuse of Chinese and refugess being refused rights. I pray that there will be no xenophobia and that all, regardless of faith, will be helped.
Y -Youth- we've all heard reports of selfishness and thoughtlessness from youths from those spitting on people to those gathering in the parks. Lord, take away the self-centredness, the arrogance from those who think they can do anything without consequences. For those youths who are frightened, please reassure them and keep them motivated to work at home/
Z - Zoom- Thank you so much Lord for this program which is helping many, many people work and stay connected. I pray that it will continue to work effectively and not to cause any issues.
Amen.
This was inspired by Sutton Vineyard's challenge to pray the alphabet.