This prayer was shared in our Origin Online worship service on 15 March 2020. As we respond to the Covid-19 situation on our campuses and in our city all Origin Worship Gatherings will be online until further notice. You can watch the service here.
Drawn from Psalm 91.
Heavenly Father,
You are the Almighty, Most High God, and we have chosen to dwell in Your shelter and to rest in Your shadow. You are our refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom we trust.” By the blood and body of Jesus you have brought us into your Communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thank you.
And yet this week has given us repeated opportunity to pause, face our mortality, and make choices about our own convenience in relation to others’ wellbeing. The world feels deeply unstable and shaken by a deadly virus.
So we enter Your presence setting our hope on you. We look to you to save us, knowing others around the world are deeply grieving, more vulnerable, and more anxious. Come Holy Spirit and cover us with Your feathers.
Let us find refuge under Your wings. We want Your faithfulness to be our shield and rampart. Lord, help us turn to You in trust when fears in the night, attacks by day, and illness stalks people all around the world. Lord, we trust You, and yet we also need You to help our unbelief, for some of us — worry troubles our thoughts. Many of us need You to grow our compassion and patience. Work among us Oh Lord.
We receive the ministry of Your messenger to guard us in all our ways; give wisdom, strength, and encouragement to government officials and medical health officers all around the world as policies of protection are implemented. Give us wisdom to know how to adjust our lives while choosing to reach out and remain deeply connected.
Lord we love You and we acknowledge Your power. Please protect and rescue us all; You are our Deliverer. We are calling to You and looking to You for answers. You are with us in trouble. We recognise in a new way how vulnerable we all are. As we rely on You, make us kind, remind us of people we can call or message, let Your Spirit strengthen us, embolden us, and make us humble to serve.
Please join me in praying the Lord’s prayer.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever.
Amen.
Prepared by Ellen and Craig O’Brien