Self-Giving And Self-Emptying God...
Intercession
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
These responses may be used:
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you hung vulnerably and agonisingly on a cross so that you could win true freedom for human beings. But that all happened a long time ago, and even some of those who were there at the time, doubted. May your Church taste and understand the freedom you offer. And give your world-wide Church such ability to spread the message of your resurrection in today's language, that human beings may hear, and hearing may believe.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, give your world-wide Church such ability to spread the message of your resurrection in today's language, that human beings may hear, and hearing may believe.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, those in authority in the first century were scared by your glorious freedom. They were unable to understand anyone like you, who chose a hideously painful death over even the slightest bondage to something you thought was wrong. In many countries today, those in authority are still terrified by people who claim freedom, and thus your message is still subversive. Help those who rule over us to balance the need for national security and unity with the need for individual freedom, so that human rights might be observed throughout our world, and human beings cease to suffer in order to be free.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, help those who rule over us to balance the need for national security and unity with the need for individual freedom, so that human rights might be observed throughout our world, and human beings cease to suffer in order to be free.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you poured out yourself, your love and your power for other people, so that all might enjoy the best possible quality of life. You befriended the marginalised, you set the prisoners free, you helped the blind to see and you helped the deaf to hear. Help us now to grow beyond any doubts, not suppressing them but working through them to our own glorious resurrection, in which we too can see and hear those things of the heart which you give. And having seen and heard, help us then to open ourselves to other people, that we might pour out ourselves in love for them.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you poured out yourself, your love and your power for other people. Help us to open ourselves to other people, that we might pour out ourselves in love for them.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you love all human beings and have a special affinity for those who are sick. As you knew power through your weakness on the cross, so may they know your kind of power through their weakness. We ask you to again pour your healing power into them, naming especially before you....
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you love all human beings and have a special affinity for those who are sick. We ask you to again pour your healing power into them, naming especially before you....
Self-giving and self-emptying God, there were those who doubted your resurrection even when you returned to this dimension and were seen and heard again on earth. Now none of those who die return to this dimension, but you promised that they would live with you forever in some other dimension which we call Heaven. We pray that anyone on this earth who doubts might meet you personally, so that they know your words are true. And we hold in your presence all those who have died recently, and the families and friends they leave behind them....
Self-giving and self-emptying God, we pray that anyone on this earth who doubts might meet you personally, so that they know your words are true. And we hold in your presence all those who have died recently, and the families and friends they leave behind them....
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
These responses may be used:
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you hung vulnerably and agonisingly on a cross so that you could win true freedom for human beings. But that all happened a long time ago, and even some of those who were there at the time, doubted. May your Church taste and understand the freedom you offer. And give your world-wide Church such ability to spread the message of your resurrection in today's language, that human beings may hear, and hearing may believe.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, give your world-wide Church such ability to spread the message of your resurrection in today's language, that human beings may hear, and hearing may believe.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, those in authority in the first century were scared by your glorious freedom. They were unable to understand anyone like you, who chose a hideously painful death over even the slightest bondage to something you thought was wrong. In many countries today, those in authority are still terrified by people who claim freedom, and thus your message is still subversive. Help those who rule over us to balance the need for national security and unity with the need for individual freedom, so that human rights might be observed throughout our world, and human beings cease to suffer in order to be free.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, help those who rule over us to balance the need for national security and unity with the need for individual freedom, so that human rights might be observed throughout our world, and human beings cease to suffer in order to be free.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you poured out yourself, your love and your power for other people, so that all might enjoy the best possible quality of life. You befriended the marginalised, you set the prisoners free, you helped the blind to see and you helped the deaf to hear. Help us now to grow beyond any doubts, not suppressing them but working through them to our own glorious resurrection, in which we too can see and hear those things of the heart which you give. And having seen and heard, help us then to open ourselves to other people, that we might pour out ourselves in love for them.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you poured out yourself, your love and your power for other people. Help us to open ourselves to other people, that we might pour out ourselves in love for them.
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you love all human beings and have a special affinity for those who are sick. As you knew power through your weakness on the cross, so may they know your kind of power through their weakness. We ask you to again pour your healing power into them, naming especially before you....
Self-giving and self-emptying God, you love all human beings and have a special affinity for those who are sick. We ask you to again pour your healing power into them, naming especially before you....
Self-giving and self-emptying God, there were those who doubted your resurrection even when you returned to this dimension and were seen and heard again on earth. Now none of those who die return to this dimension, but you promised that they would live with you forever in some other dimension which we call Heaven. We pray that anyone on this earth who doubts might meet you personally, so that they know your words are true. And we hold in your presence all those who have died recently, and the families and friends they leave behind them....
Self-giving and self-emptying God, we pray that anyone on this earth who doubts might meet you personally, so that they know your words are true. And we hold in your presence all those who have died recently, and the families and friends they leave behind them....
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
