Creator God, whose love and purpose for all your creation is blessing. We thank you for the gift of this wonderful, beautiful, place we call earth.
When we pray give us this day our daily bread, we are confessing our dependence on your mercy and the limits of our own strength and abilities. So our heavenly Father, we give thanks for all that has made our lives good – for food, shelter, home and the people we love and who love us.
Keep us grateful for what we have; generous in what we give; compassionate in our care for others; responsible in how we treat our world; careful not to waste the resources of our planet; and gentle with all those creatures who share our place on this earth.
This past week we have been reminded we can’t always control what happens. We pray especially today for those whose lives are in turmoil after the floods. Those whose homes are ruined; whose businesses are devastated; those now trying to salvage what they can, and find hope for these next weeks and months. In their despair bring hope; in their bewilderment give reassurance; in their fear and anxiety for tomorrow and coming days, comfort and strengthen them.
We thank you that no lives were lost despite the disaster; we thank you for all those who worked night and day to help those overwhelmed and in danger – our emergency services, council workers, volunteers, working together within the community for the sake of each other.
In coming days, when generosity and good planning will be needed, and when the real costs become known, give wisdom and courage to the local council, to our Government, and to those who provide the services to our communities. Help us as churches wherever and however we can, to be engaged in the work of supporting and helping, giving and caring; and if we don’t know how, give us the gumption to find out and to be responsive with whatever we can give and do.
Lord so much rain – yet remind us that you once taught us to notice that the rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous, and that our Heavenly Father’s love falls upon our world with life giving gifts of refreshing grace, forgiving mercy and righteous peace. Make us then showers of blessing, streams of your mercy, conduits of your grace, and reservoirs of your love in Jesus Christ your son, in whose name we pray, Amen
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