“Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.’” (Ezek. 37:11, RSV)
Let us pray:
God of hope
we bring before you
those whose lives are dried up:
Come from the four winds,
O breath of God,
and breathe upon these
that they may live.
We pray for those dried up
by disappointment
by bitterness
by guilt . . .
We pray for those
whose spirit is drained
by grief
by hunger
by despair . . .
Come from the four winds,
O breath of God,
and breathe upon these
that they may live.
God of hope
we bring before you
those whose hope is lost:
Come from the four winds,
breath of God,
and breathe upon these
that they may live.
We pray for people
persecuted
violated
left for dead . . .
We pray for people
bewildered
disillusioned
apathetic . . .
Come from the four winds,
O breath of God,
and breathe upon these
that they may live.
God of hope
we bring before you
those who feel cut off:
Come from the four winds,
O breath of God,
and breathe upon these
that they may live.
We pray for those cut off
by age
by disability
by thoughtlessness . . .
We pray for those cut off
from family
from neighbors
from God . . .
Come from the four winds,
O breath of God,
and breathe upon these
that they may live.
God of hope
we thank you for the promise of
restoration
of a new day
and a new life:
Thanks be to God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
“May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13, TEV).
This article is reprinted from Issue 67 of “On The Move,” a publication of new learning possibilities for churches, at one time published by The Joint Board of Christian Education of Australia and New Zealand. Reproduced by permission of Uniting Education (john@unitinged.org.au), PO Box 1245, Collingwood 3066, Australia. May be printed for use in local congregations only. As found on the website http://thebillabong.info/index.html, which is “owned” by Jeff Shrowder (shrowder@uniting.com.au).