Evening Prayer Friday, 5 March 2021
Let’s begin our prayer time this evening by reading again from St Matthew’s Gospel about Jesus’s experience in the wilderness:
Jesus is Tested in the Wilderness
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting for forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’
4 Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the highest point of the temple. 6 ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written:
‘“He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”’
7 Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’
10 Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”’
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Matthew 4: 1–11
Let us pray:
Loving God, we thank you for all that you do for us,
but during this time of what has been a ‘wilderness experience’ for many,
we thank you especially for the example of Jesus.
We thank you that he resisted temptation
and found ways to gain strength during his time of testing,
by staying close to you.
Teach us to follow that example, to keep our eyes fixed on you,
so that we can discern the healthy and helpful way to travel,
rather than be tempted by more attractive quick and easy solutions.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Let us use this time of separation from one another
to reflect on the value of our friendships
and of the relationships we have developed over the years.
Our pattern of interacting with others has changed.
There are people and activities which we have missed,
but many of us have been able to take the chance
to develop some new skills or enhance our proficiency in others.
We thank you for all the opportunities which we have been given.
Help us to use them wisely.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are sick and for those who care for them.
It is not always possible for us to offer practical support at this time,
so we think of those we know and pray too for those known only to you,
that you will bless and strengthen them,
stay close to them and bring them your comfort and peace.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are bereaved.
Loss and grief are heavy burdens at any time, but particularly so in isolation.
Surround all who grieve with your loving arms and uphold them in their sorrow.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for all who are lonely, feel cut off
and whose time weighs heavily on their hands.
Help us to be creative in the ways we use to reach as many people as possible
who may need our help and value our support.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for all who have good news, or things to celebrate,
but nobody to share them with.
May they be able to rejoice in your love
and the knowledge that you care for them and watch over them.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
And now, on the ‘World Day of Prayer’, we close our prayer time this evening
by joining with other Christians throughout the world
to remember the people of Vanuatu
who provided our prayers for this morning’s service.
Everlasting God, on whom Vanuatu stands
we commit the leaders and people of these islands into your wise hands.
Help us, with them, to stand against the forces of injustice
present in our nations.
We pray that we can live in unity, love and peace
in the context of ethnic and cultural diversity
like Vanuatu and so many places around the world.
Bind us together in love, peace and joy.
Adapted from the Service for the World Day of Prayer
And finally, a Lenten hymn, which can be sung to the same tune as ‘I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto me and rest.”’
I journey through the wilderness;
the hills delight my eyes.
My feet upon this pilgrim path;
my gaze upon the skies.
My help is from the Lord, my God,
who made things high and low.
And though the way with risk abounds,
She’s there where’er I go.
God will not let your foot be moved;
your life, with love, she keeps.
From daybreak’s dawn to evening’s dusk,
God neither rests nor sleeps.
The sun by day nor moon by night
shall threaten or impede,
for God will guide you as a friend
and never you mislead.
Through thick and thin I’ve come thus far
with God, my shield and shade.
Though trial and terror may roar and rage,
with God, I’m not afraid.
My going out and coming in
are kept by God in grace.
In days gone by and days to come,
I’m held in her embrace.
Copyright 2020 Stephen M. Fearing | www.stephenmfearing.com
Rosemary Kearsey
