Prayers for the People

Psalm 23

God our faithful Shepherd, we depend on you for everything we need: for daily food, for guidance and protection, for healing injury and comfort in sorrow. You respond in abundant provision. Thank you for your tender care of us. Thank you for soothing the wounds of this life. Thank you that in the presence of stress, disease, fear and loneliness, you are with us, as Shepherd, Host, Home. 

Knowing your faithfulness in our lives, we bring before you our lives and the lives of others near and far. 

We share the pain of those with fear of an unseen virus, the disruption of life, the missed opportunities, the isolation, the loss of life and financial fears.

This is a battle we cannot fight; we look to you to protect us, give us wisdom and patience.

Be our Good Shepherd. Loving God help us to see the world as you see it, to see others as you see them. Protect the medical teams, military, first responders around the world who are protecting the communities and bringing aid to those infected. Give them the resources they need, protect them from infection. Because you have come into this world for judgment, we can leave our judgments behind. 

Pursue us all with your goodness and faithful love until goodness and faithful love fills every heart and informs every action. We pray these things in the name of the one who came that we might see, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen 

Question for Reflection  

In restoring our souls, God is more than a pardoning Shepard for our wandering away. God is also a providing Shepherd. He knows what we need before we ask. God is a protecting Shepherd, as the psalmist writes, it is God’s rod and the staff that protects. Ancient shepherds used these tools to defend their sheep from preying animals. In the same way, God moves before us, clearing our way to safety. 

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Gracious God, light up our hearts and minds as the Scriptures are read and proclaimed,

so that by the power of your Holy Spirit we may see what is good and right and true.

And seeing, help us to do what is pleasing to you, so that your glory becomes visible

in our words and deeds. In Christ’s name, we pray. 

Amen.