World In Prayer

For more than five years now (hard to believe) I have been part of a team of people that writes weekly prayers from news of the world. This week was my week to write them. You can find the website here. 

World News This Week in Prayer -
Thursday, February 28, 2013

 O God, you are our God. Eagerly we seek you.

We look for signs of your presence in the midst of the troubles of this world. We look for answers and assurances. We realize that in our eagerness we may miss the very thing we seek. We sit in the wilderness of Lent and are tempted to leave for the promise of answers.

Help us and be with us and forgive us.

Forgive us when we do not notice your awesome presence as we continue our daily tasks.
Forgive us when we assign reasons and blame where none belongs.
Forgive us when in our impatience for answers we no longer remember the questions.

Enlighten our hearts, our minds, our spirits to see you in the midst of life and in one another.

 O God, you are our God. Eagerly we seek you throughout your world.

 We seek you in your church.

• We pray for the Roman Catholic Church as Pope Benedict XVI steps down and the church enters an uncertain future. 
• We pray for those observing the World Day of Prayer on March 1, that all may experience your gracious presence. 

 We seek you in places where there is conflict.

• We pray especially for places experiencing armed conflict: Mali, Syria, Darfur, Afghanistan, and others. 
• We pray for mineworkers in Colombia striking for better conditions and pay, and for workers at the Kusaselethu Mine in South Africa who are unhappy with union settlements. 
• We pray for homes where abuse and conflict divide and damage children and all family members. 

 We seek you in times of confusion.

• We pray for Italy as it experiences deadlock in creating a new coalition of leadership. 
• We pray for the United States as potential budget cuts may affect many lives in ways that are as yet unclear. 

 We seek you in sickness and in health.

• We pray for Brazil as they experience an increase in reports of Dengue Fever. 
• We pray for those suffering from malaria, and for those working for its eradication. 
• We pray for all those suffering from pain or illness. 

 We seek you in the world you have made.

• We pray for Australia where Cyclone Rusty has made landfall in the North West. 
• We pray for wisdom and humility as we examine our conflicting desire for sources of energy coupled with the desire to care for your creation. 

 We seek you day by day and through the night watches. We seek you in every tribe and nation, in heaven and on earth. Guide us in our seeking that we may find you and be found by you, through your son who dwelled among us, Jesus the Christ, who promised that those who seek shall find.

AMEN.