Evening Prayer Friday, 25 September 2020
Good evening everyone. How are you feeling today?
Perhaps, like me, your heart sank when you heard the news that the virus was taking hold again.
Sometimes, when we do not understand why things are happening, we find ourselves questioning the actions of other people,
but at other times we turn to God, and ask ‘Why?’ One answer we hear is in the words of St Paul, that ‘all things work together for good.’
Let us read the passage from Romans, chapter 8, where Paul writes this:
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
‘For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8: 28–39 NIV®
Let us pray:
We have so much to thank you for, Loving God; so we ask your forgiveness, if we sometimes feel ungrateful.
Open our eyes to see the beauty which surrounds us, the variety which stimulates us and the opportunities which you give us to serve you.
Forgive us too, if, to satisfy our short-term desires, we abuse your gifts and allow others to abuse them too.
Forgive us if, in the rush and business of our daily lives, we take for granted or ignore the beauty of the world around us.
In your creation, Father, you took care of every detail
Help us to remember:
each of us matters to you;
you hurt when we hurt;
you rejoice when we feel happy and fulfilled;
you are saddened when we neglect you and neglect others.
Thank you for loving us.
Help us to show your love in our lives.
We look to you for strength when we feel weak and helpless:
We see violent and ruthless people riding roughshod over powerless people.
You showed that love conquers all,
but so often we have to look hard to see love in people’s actions,
and we feel unable to challenge cruel deeds.
We pray now for other who may feel powerless:
We remember all who are separated from those they love:
migrants and asylum seekers, refugees and those in prison.
We remember those who suffer the ravages of oppression, hunger, war, and any acts of violence.
Give insight and patience to those who look for solutions.
Give strength, courage and companionship to those who suffer or mourn.
Thank you for giving us strength when life is hard.
Help us to show your love in our lives.
We look to you for comfort and understanding when we feel sad, lonely or afraid.
Draw near to those who suffer in body, mind or soul.
We remember especially members of our congregation who are ill and bereaved.
We pray for all who are anxious about job security or who are unemployed, or whose hopes and plans have been dashed.
We pray for all who have visited our church this week to pray or looking for support.
We pray for ourselves, those known to us and those known only to you.
Show us what we can do – and show us when the best help we can give is just to be there for one another.
Thank you for always being there and giving us comfort when we need it.
Help us to show your love in our lives.
We look to you for forgiveness and compassion when we feel guilty or ashamed.
We pray for those who work on our behalf for justice in trade.
Strengthen and inspire them, as they continue to raise awareness and widen the opportunities for more of us to support their work.
We pray for ourselves as consumers.
We know that if we make thoughtful choices, we can help to prevent exploitation
and improve the chances of those who produce our food and make our clothes.
May we do our part to help redress imbalances in world trade which trap others in poverty.
May we make wise choices, to help give dignity and respect to those who grow and make the things we buy and use.
Thank you for forgiving us when we stray from your path and for making your love known to us.
Help us to show your love in our lives.
We look to you for guidance when we feel lost and insecure.
We pray for all who have far reaching decisions to make which affect the lives of others:
that world leaders may be able to work together creatively and compassionately
to find new solutions to the world’s major problems of conflict, famine and injustice.
We pray for our church, as we try to continue to be a loving, caring community in this still unfamiliar situation.
Strengthen us as your body.
May we continue to support one another, especially those who are cut off because they are not able to use modern technology.
May we continue, too, to look for effective ways to support the people of Milton Keynes.
May we listen to one another in a spirit of love,
keeping our hearts and minds open to the guidance of your Spirit.
Thank you that you offer us guidance when we listen carefully to you.
Help us to show your love in our lives.
We ask our prayers in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen
We conclude our evening prayers by saying together the prayer which Jesus taught to his disciples:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen
Rosemary Kearsey
