In this moment

A prayer for hope in all the hysteria
God of the future,
for such a long time we have lived without hope.
Who needed it,
when our busy, distracted lives,
kept us living only for the present,
and provided ready escape from reality?
Now we do,
because frightening times have unnerved us,
death has a new inescapability about it,
our deepest insecurities are surfacing,
and a silence we find hard to bear gives us no place to hide.
Yesterday’s comfortable certainties,
have given way to today’s paralysis and panic,
tomorrow’s great unknowns darken our horizon.
We grasp for something solid,
to slow spinning minds,
soothe storm tossed hearts.
And we have this hope,
an anchor for our souls,
found in Jesus,
secured for us in heaven,
able to steady the ship,
sufficient to bear us to an eternal shore.
Help us to know and grow in it,
in our own lives.
May we show it and sow it,
as we move among others,
that the world may rediscover safety, security, serenity in you.
God of hope,
in this moment,
fill us with all joy and peace,
as we trust in you,
that we may overflow with hope,
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen

Sunday 17 May

Worshipping at home

On this Sunday when we mark the 75^th anniversary of VE Day

• Pray for families as they continue to mark Sunday as God’s special day of worship and rest without the normal routines of church and Sunday school, asking that God would help them find creative ways to centre their life together on him.
• Pray for those who watch the many digital aids to worship provided during lockdown, asking that God will continue to speak into their situations through his Word and encourage them through the sharing of items of praise and in prayer.

Monday 18 May

The farming and food industry

The cancellation of the Balmoral Show, usually held in the month of May and which showcases and celebrates the local food industry across Ireland, highlights the interruption to rural life and livelihoods.

• Pray for the farming industry, asking God to protect and provide for farmers experiencing the financial strain of cash flow issues, diminishing returns and rising costs. 
• Pray that those involved in the food supply chain from farm gate to supermarket shelves, asking that God would keep them safe and continue to smooth this vital aspect of keeping the country fed at this time. 

Tuesday 19 May

Testing, tracking, tracing

• Pray for continued progress in expanding processes of testing, tracking and tracing the spread of coronavirus, asking that God would enable the development of systems that help combat pandemic and permit greater relaxation of lockdown restrictions.
• Pray for those involved in delivering these services, asking that God would help them quickly get to grips with what is required and deliver an efficient and reliable service.

Wednesday 20 May

Leadership in unprecedented times

• Pray for leaders in government charged with taking massive decisions while facing many unknowns, asking that God would lead, guide, reassure, rule and overrule for the good of those under their care.
• Pray for those offering leadership in church life, whether in congregations or at denominational level, asking that God would give clarity of mind, peace of heart and wisely chosen words.

Thursday 21 May

Gradual return to work

• Pray for those who are gradually returning to their workplaces, asking that God would give them confidence to step out again into their world of work and keep them safe.
• Pray for those who oversee workplace safety, asking that God would help them to find flexible and creative ways of ensuring staff are kept safe on return to their places of employment.

Friday 22 May

Exam grades and school leavers

• Pray for teachers providing grades for pupils who were due to sit GSCE, AS and A Level exams, asking God to equip them for this task and to help them be fair and objective.
• Pray for school-leavers facing uncertainty about the future, asking that they would continue to know God’s guidance, direction and peace even in this uncertain season.

Saturday 23 May

Patience and perseverance

• Pray that as lockdown restrictions continue to curtail normal life, God would give patience and perseverance in family and church life, local communities and society at large.
• Pray especially for those who live alone in lockdown experiencing long days with little opportunity for contact with others, asking God to help them grapple with changeable mood and maintain good mental health.