Thanksgiving and intercession prayer 24 June 2018

God of David

We thank you for the example the young David set

to trust completely in you and you alone

to be willing to offer himself in the place of the whole army of Israel

to defeat Goliath with one stone

thrown in faith and trust in the goodness and mercy of the Lord

though we cannot do as David did, assist us to trust you more and more for in that trust we can do great things, greater maybe, than even David did

we can bring about justice for the oppressed, the overlooked, the excluded

by time and time and time again speaking out on their behalves to the big and powerful in government, in the media, in big business

the forces which seem so big and armoured we assume they cannot be laid low in the power of your almighty hand

particularly disabled individuals who cannot access the benefits they need

hard working families who are 1, small, unexpected bill from destitution

small businesses pushed out by big corporations

people on zero hour contracts, abused and mistreated by employers, while those same employers are given tax breaks by government and applauded in some parts of the media

this is not justice, Lord

this is not mercy, God

this is not love, Almighty

show us how to trust in your justice, mercy and love

so all who are treated badly in our society are given dignity

Son of David

Christ our Lord

we praise and thank you that in your complete trust of God your Father you went willing to death for us and the life of the world

even the realms of the dead are at your command, for you went though death to life on our behaves

guide us to trust that death is never the end

be it death of a loved one

or death of a way of life

for we are resurrection people

who trust that death, however it comes, is not the end

and death comes life

may we bless those who mourn

the passing of mobility

the ending of independence

the ending of a life

through all we say and do

Holy Spirit

it was through your blessing and presence with David he was able to defeat Goliath

though we was still a boy, still very young

may we look to children and young people

listen to them

hear them

for in them we can learn so much

and such is the kingdom of God

in the trust of a child

may we bless the children in our families, in our neighbourhoods, that they may know love and mercy and justice

and be confident to speak truth to power

even our own power, where we do not use our power for the good of the world

Amen