Thanksgiving and intercession prayer 6 September 2020

Let us be glad in our King

our King who is our Maker

Let us be glad and offer our thanks and praise

for the love of God

is a two edged sword

offering freedom to the captives

and punishment to their captors

cutting across nations with wrathful anger at injustice and greed

yet offering balm and mercy to those who seek justice

those who speak out against all forms of greed

Let us be glad the our King

be glad and offer our thanks and praise

that we can be Christians

without fear of persecution

we recall those who cannot profess their faith publicly

where even meeting with one other Christian is too risky to even contemplate.

How they must long to meet with another, to pray together?

Do they feel our prayers being with them?

Do they know they are with us, gathered with us, though miles apart?

We pray they do

that the feel a sense of being one body

Christ Jesus

we praise you we are members of your body

joined by the holy spirit

to the whole worldwide church

that our prayers mingle through time and space

wafting up to heaven as glorious perfume

as incense offered over an altar

though our words may not be the most articulate

though sometimes we may have no words

we know you accept them all

as the gifts we offer

as we pause for a few moments to offer the people places and situations which are on our hearts today

[pause]

Lord Jesus Christ

in your mercy

hear all these prayers

Amen