In this moment

A prayer of thanks for God’s presence with us on the journey
Faithful God,
we pause on this unexpected and unchosen path,
somewhere between our Mizpah and Shen,
to raise our Ebenezer stone,
declaring ‘thus far has the LORD helped us.’
You have been present with us on this journey –
sometimes guiding reliably,
like pillar of cloud by day,
sometimes spectacularly illuminating,
like pillar of fire in the night;
always providing like you did daily manna in the wilderness,
drawing forth faith one day at a time.
At times we have looked for you,
in earthquake, wind and fire,
but like Elijah at Horeb, mountain of God,
you have spoken in the gentlest of whispers,
and we have found it enough.
Like Samuel in the night,
or Mary in the garden,
we have known you speaking our name,
calling us to learn from you,
to follow you to places
to which we have never been before.
And you will be present with us as future days unfold.
You say,
‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’,
and we reply with fresh confidence,
‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.’
God of peace,
who through the blood of the eternal covenant,
brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great Shepherd of the sheep,
continue to equip us with everything good for doing your will,
keep on working in us what is pleasing to you,
through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

Sunday 5 July

Distanced and digital worship

• Pray for those congregations resuming meeting for worship today with social distancing and other limitations to navigate, asking that they will know God’s presence as they gather together again.
• Pray for those congregations who continue to worship digitally, asking that they will continue to know God working in and through this medium of connecting while they remain physically apart.

Monday 6 July

Strength for these days

• Pray for those who have found lockdown exhausting because they have had to pick up extra responsibilities in their family or working life, asking that God will renew their strength.
• Pray for those who have found lockdown frustrating as they have been unable to work, have been unwell, or experienced the angst of waiting, asking that God will motivate and re-energise their lives.

Tuesday 7 July

Chaplaincy

• Pray that God would open up opportunities to show and share his love in the ministry provided through chaplaincy in health care, prisons, the armed forces, education and sport.
• Pray for chaplains as they seek to be present in difficult circumstances, listen carefully in conversation and deftly direct others to God, asking for wisdom, tactfulness and boldness.

Wednesday 8 July

Leading out of lockdown

• Pray about the many challenges of leading out of lockdown, asking God to help those who lead in every area of life to find the right balance of progress and restraint, wisdom and courage.
• Pray for those who lead church life gradually out of lockdown, asking God that he will give them good judgement as they guide his people in their life together and witness to others in these days.

Thursday 9 July

Global concern

• Pray that as we see progress in dampening the effects of coronavirus, we would continue to be mindful, prayerful and supportive of those in other countries who are still struggling to contain it.
• Pray particularly for nations who are battling coronavirus without basic medical resources and for those who have been plunged into poverty by its impact, asking God to protect and provide.

Friday 10 July

Continued progress

• Pray for continued progress in stemming the spread of coronavirus through observation of necessary restrictions which remain, asking God to spare from local outbreaks or a second spike.
• Pray for continued research into finding drugs to treat coronavirus and a vaccine, asking God to use the gifts and skills he has given to scientific researchers to bring his healing and health to the world.

Saturday 11 July

Scripture and prayer

• Pray that as we read Scripture in these days God will draw our minds to those parts of his Word that speak tenderly to our present needs and draw our hearts to find fresh faith and hope in him.
• Pray that we would know a fresh dependence upon God and closeness to him in our prayer life, asking that we would be expectant in interceding, watchful and thankful for answered requests.