Luke 15

I tried my hand at writing an intercessory prayer for church this Sunday. The narrative lectionary had us in Luke 15:1-32 and the theme of the service was Christ collides with our priorities.

Prayer

Creator, Good Shepherd, Loving parent, Celebrator of lost things found:
We are living in interesting times plagued with economic uncertainty, climate crisis, violence and despair.
Minister to our anxious souls.
Awaken us to our capacity to act and equip us to live courageously.

Creator, Good Shepherd, Loving parent, Celebrator of lost things found:
We experience pain and illness and challenges.
Bring healing to our troubles.
Pour out your spirit of mercy and compassion and help us to bind up wounds.

Creator, Good Shepherd, Loving parent, Celebrator of lost things found:
We hear of violence in the world: our hearts break...
for our MB brothers & sisters in amid war in Ukraine, violent chaos in Eastern DR Congo and paramilitary threats in Choco, Colombia;
for members of Bible Missionary Church in Myanmar displaced from their homes or resisting military recruitment;
for those in the Tigray region in Ethiopia where deep tensions threaten a fragile peace;
for those in Sudan and Yemen and Palestine living with bombing, threat of invasion and genocide.
Join our prayers with those around the world.
May our hearts beat for justice and our hands work for peace in the ways big and small that are within our grasp.

Creator, Good Shepherd, Loving parent, Celebrator of lost things found:
In our speaking and acting, we break and we mend relationships with omission and commission.
Teach us humility.
Form us into builders of shalom, aware of our frailty and our power, who minister as wounded healers.

Creator, Good Shepherd, Loving parent, Celebrator of lost things found:
In this season of Lent, may Christ collide with our circumstances and our priorities and lead us toward the hope of resurrection.

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