How wonderful is God
the one who saves us from the pit
who does not let our enemies gloat over us
who turns our nights of weeping
into mornings of rejoicing
How wonderful is God
worthy of our thankful hearts
worthy of our gratefulness
worthy of our gratitude
for wonderful is God
and greatly is God to be praised and thanked
even on cold mornings, the brightness of the sky reveals the glory of the Lord
in the snow, the laughter of children sledging
reveals the glory of the Lord
in the frost, our visible breath rising up
reveals the glory of the Lord
For God is wonderful and worthy of all our thanks and gratefulness
though we bring them before God this day
it prompts us to also bring forth our concerns, worries and troubles before the throne of Grace
offering them to the Lamb who sits on the throne
those queuing in the snow and wind at a Glasgow food kitchen
those within our communities who would rather freeze than face the fear of the heating bill
all who effectively become housebound in the snow and ice
the road and rail crews working around the clock to keep the roads and railways open
truckers out well before dawn, driving through snow and ice to bring our food and deliveries to shops and our doors
we pause to recall them all before you, oh God
[pause]
and we raise our eyes beyond our shores
to Myanmar, where the military have overthrown the government
to China, where genocide of the Uighurs happening
to Malawi, where the rich nations clinging to Covid vaccines, overburdening the already overburdened health service
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer
and help us to pray, pray and pray for these places and situations
running the race of prayer, to your glory and honour
and, as we continue to pray
we pause in quietness to bring before you the people, places and situations which are in our minds and on our hearts today
[pause]
Lord God
accept all these prayers
laid at the throne of the Lamb who was slain
in faith and trust
Amen