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ROOTS is supporting the National Day of Reflection on 23 March,
the first anniversary of the UK lockdown,
to commemorate this tragic loss of life
and to stand together with everyone who’s grieving. |
- A prayer of inspiration and commitment
- A prayer of love and faithfulness
- A personal prayer
- A prayer for God’s kingdom come
- A prayer for God’s guidance
A prayer of inspiration and commitment
Creator God,
too often we live with the notion that we are in control of our lives.
When storms and earthquakes disrupt and destroy lives in ‘other’ places,
we say, ‘Ah, that is sad…for them.’
But then a virus comes along,
something so much tinier than hurricanes or tsunamis
and we quake before its power.
Now our lives are being disrupted and there is no longer an ‘us v. them’.
Extreme times bring out the extremes in human behaviour –
this we have learned through countless wars and disasters.
What we now pray is that our eyes and hearts would be so transformed
that we no longer see any of our fellow human beings as them or the other.
Rather, let us be inspired by those whom you have inspired:
the Sir Captain Toms of the world;
the first-responders; the care-workers, the food transporters -
in fact, all who show up for life,
who turn up for the sake of their human family.
May our lives be lived as a ‘Yes’ to the values that make for your kingdom.
Amen.
A prayer of love and faithfulness
King of love,
we come to lay at your feet
the costly offering of all that we have and all that we are.
We are empty handed – meet us here.
Give us courage for the week ahead and joy in the everyday hope around us.
May we lean on your faithfulness,
and rest on a love – stronger than death – that will never let us go.
Amen.
A personal prayer
When we grow tired of looking out on a world of desperation,
may we look up to a God from whom we can seek inspiration,
and to the skies that God created.
May we find hope in what we see above,
whether viewed by day or night.
In those skies we see migrating birds and moving clouds,
which are no respecters of boundaries;
unlike our world, defined by borders that can exclude some – though not viruses.
In those skies we now glimpse an occasional airplane,
perhaps carrying returning passengers, stranded overseas,
or those coming to help with the harvest.
In those skies, we consider the joy of a child flying a kite,
watching as it twists and turns on the winds;
appearing as free as a bird, yet shackled by a string.
And in those skies, there are things that we struggle to see,
especially with the naked eye:
rain clouds emerging from the sea,
or tiny ice crystals forming snow.
Much like life, some things are not easy to comprehend.
Yet, in all of this, we thank you Lord, for life
in all its beauty,
in all its complexity,
and pray for the strength to cope with all its challenges.
Amen.
A prayer for God’s kingdom come
Jesus taught us to pray: Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Let us pray that in our lives God’s kingdom may come –
surprising like the mustard seed; and in secret like the yeast.
Let us pray that God’s kingdom may seem to us as valuable as treasure or an expensive pearl.
Let us pray that we may be challenged, even in these strange times,
to be committed to our part in bringing in God’s kingdom, now and always.
Amen.
A prayer for God’s guidance
Lord, you call us to follow you into an unknown future.
The way ahead is puzzling.
We cannot see the direction we should take
for our own lives, for our churches and for our world.
When the chaos begins to subside,
teach us to trust in your still small voice.
Teach us to listen for the whisper that urges us to change;
to pay attention to your guidance and your love for us.
Teach us to look and to see where you are already at work.
Teach us not to look for opportunities to be heroes
but spaces where we are asked to be faithful
in meeting the need in front of us.
Lord, may we believe in your promise
that you will use what we have and what we are,
and like bread and wine to feed the hungry and the lost,
you will make what is ordinary extraordinary by your presence.
Amen.
With thanks to our contributors: Dudley Coates, Diane Craven, Jack Lawson, and Richard Reddie