Thanksgiving and intercession prayer 16 July 2017

Generous God

Here we are, your humble people, bowing before you in prayer

Coming to give our thanks for all you have done in our lives, in the life of the world

Your abundant provision never ceases to amaze us

it is like gentle rain on the land

allowing blossom and flower to bust forth

bearing grain for our daily bread

forming rivers and lochs by which we may rest

How can we thank you, truly thank you for all you give us

for you give much more than we need

for body, mind and soul

if only we would embrace your generosity

we would realise we should be praising and thanking you every moment of every hour

for sunshine and rain

for friends and neighbours

for nurses and counsellors

for the church, which offers fellowship, support, care

for joy and laughter and singing and fun

We praise you, Lord God

May our lives be full of praise to you

May we take your generous provision and pass it on

being generous, extravagantly generous, as you are

caring not for the cost, worrying not about the consequences

May we sow seeds of love

with those who are lonely, isolated

with those who are in pain

with those who are lost

with those who are in positions of power

with those who are in positions of weakness

with those who are desperate

with those who have everything

with those who seek a home

with those who mock us

with those who are here today and gone tomorrow

with those who always take and never give

[pause]

May our generosity be like yours, Lord God

ridiculously extravagant

sowing seeds on the worst soil

as well as the good soil

For it is through you they are watered

And, as we are ridiculously extravagantly generous as we sow seeds of peace and love

may the hearts and mind and souls of those who receive those seeds become more open to letting love and peace and mercy and justice and hope grow in their lives

Through Christ our Lord

Amen