Courageous And Long-Suffering God
Intercession
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
These responses may be used:
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Courageous and long-suffering God,
Rejection is so hard to bear. The feeling of being unacceptable to other human beings is devastating. Courageous God, I try to be nice to other people, so that they like me and accept me. But I find it very tough to stand up for my beliefs, especially if I'm standing alone and against the establishment. It's even worse if that establishment is your Church, for if your Church rejects me, it feels like a rejection by you.
Courageous and long-suffering God, you were rejected by the religious establishment of your day, but you stood fast to your beliefs and maintained your own integrity. Help me to commit myself so thoroughly to you, that if necessary, I can do the same. May I learn that your freedom sets me free from the paralysing power of my own anxieties, doubts, feelings and responses to others.
Courageous and long-suffering God, may your Church discover the freedom of standing alone for the truth despite social rejection, but avoid rejecting others who have different thoughts and opinions. At this Petertide, when ordinations to the priesthood often take place, may your Church be especially sensitive to those who feel they are called by you to a particular office, but whose call is not confirmed by the Church.
Today we pray especially for the Episcopal Church of the USA, with its Presiding Bishop, Frank Griswold, and for Bishop Lars Eckerdal and Goteborg in the church of Sweden.
Courageous and long-suffering God, the world rejects its members for a variety of reasons - race, colour, creed, age, gender, economic standing, political views. May Christians worldwide stand up for those who are thus marginalised, working always towards full equality for all before Christ. In those areas where human beings are hungry or mistreated or live in fear of violence or destitution, may the Christian Church work together to right such evils, that the earth may truly become a home for all people, and all people may truly regard themselves as free.
Courageous and long-suffering God, views and opinions begin at home. May we remember that our children are probably coloured for the whole of their lives by our influence upon them in their very earliest years, soaking up our prejudices and beliefs so that they quickly become their own prejudices and beliefs. Help young parents to know themselves, that those values unconsciously passed onto their children may be Christian values, especially the values of equality and unity amongst all human beings.
Courageous and long-suffering God, your life had good times and bad times, happy times and painful times, just like our lives. May we be sensitive to those who are suffering in any way, and support those who are sick. We hold in your presence for your healing touch..., and those known only to us, for whom we pray in our own hearts.
Courageous and long-suffering God, your final rejection by human beings led to your death, and death is shared by all of us. We all die eventually, and those who love us are bereft at our passing. We hold in your presence today the family and friends of ... who died recently, and all those for whom this time of year brings a sad anniversary.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
These responses may be used:
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Courageous and long-suffering God,
Rejection is so hard to bear. The feeling of being unacceptable to other human beings is devastating. Courageous God, I try to be nice to other people, so that they like me and accept me. But I find it very tough to stand up for my beliefs, especially if I'm standing alone and against the establishment. It's even worse if that establishment is your Church, for if your Church rejects me, it feels like a rejection by you.
Courageous and long-suffering God, you were rejected by the religious establishment of your day, but you stood fast to your beliefs and maintained your own integrity. Help me to commit myself so thoroughly to you, that if necessary, I can do the same. May I learn that your freedom sets me free from the paralysing power of my own anxieties, doubts, feelings and responses to others.
Courageous and long-suffering God, may your Church discover the freedom of standing alone for the truth despite social rejection, but avoid rejecting others who have different thoughts and opinions. At this Petertide, when ordinations to the priesthood often take place, may your Church be especially sensitive to those who feel they are called by you to a particular office, but whose call is not confirmed by the Church.
Today we pray especially for the Episcopal Church of the USA, with its Presiding Bishop, Frank Griswold, and for Bishop Lars Eckerdal and Goteborg in the church of Sweden.
Courageous and long-suffering God, the world rejects its members for a variety of reasons - race, colour, creed, age, gender, economic standing, political views. May Christians worldwide stand up for those who are thus marginalised, working always towards full equality for all before Christ. In those areas where human beings are hungry or mistreated or live in fear of violence or destitution, may the Christian Church work together to right such evils, that the earth may truly become a home for all people, and all people may truly regard themselves as free.
Courageous and long-suffering God, views and opinions begin at home. May we remember that our children are probably coloured for the whole of their lives by our influence upon them in their very earliest years, soaking up our prejudices and beliefs so that they quickly become their own prejudices and beliefs. Help young parents to know themselves, that those values unconsciously passed onto their children may be Christian values, especially the values of equality and unity amongst all human beings.
Courageous and long-suffering God, your life had good times and bad times, happy times and painful times, just like our lives. May we be sensitive to those who are suffering in any way, and support those who are sick. We hold in your presence for your healing touch..., and those known only to us, for whom we pray in our own hearts.
Courageous and long-suffering God, your final rejection by human beings led to your death, and death is shared by all of us. We all die eventually, and those who love us are bereft at our passing. We hold in your presence today the family and friends of ... who died recently, and all those for whom this time of year brings a sad anniversary.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
