There are various times when we wonder if we will have enough strength to get through whatever we are experiencing, whatever might be around the turn in the road ahead of us that we can’t yet see. A Scripture that has been a source of encouragement to many, including me is, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) The whole point we need to be reminded of is that God provides the strength that is needed. Our endurance is limited, but His is not. Claiming the truth of this verse seems so necessary as we come to this week’s prayer together. Yes, we do see some signs of hope in our fight against the covid virus, but realistically we know there is a lot of ground yet to cover. We cannot afford to get careless or casual about precautions and making wise decisions to ensure that we keep safe. Determination is required. Our resolve to make the best decisions for all concerned requires strength. We will need to find creative solutions to many complications that have arisen and will arise because of this pandemic. When we feel weak and uncertain if we have what it takes, and if we can go the distance, we need to know, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Let’s prepare to receive the strength Jesus wants to give us, as we pray together Wednesday, May 27th at 1 pm. We can expect strength from God as we pray together!
Our God, this weekly rhythm of prayer is one that we have come to anticipate with expectancy. This is a time when we come to you aware of our weakness and we look to You for strength. Forgive us for ever thinking or pretending that we are strong enough on our own. Give us eyes of faith to see and believe what is possible when You give us strength. Sometimes we struggle for so long trying to manage on our own and then when we hardly have any strength left, we turn to You. Instead, we want to be remembering constantly that You want to supply our needs. We have come to recognize that this covid virus is strong and dangerous, but You are stronger. We continue to ask You to activate the human effort and Your divine power that will conquer this enemy. We pray that Your strength will touch those who are filled with fear and give great courage. We are praying for a generous response to the needs all around us. Expand our vision so that we do not stop at considering our own needs, but rather welcome Your insight into the strength that others need and how we can respond to bring support. This has been a time for Your church to rise to the challenge of being much more than a building. In all the ways that You lead us, give us strength we pray to serve You and to represent You well in bringing strength to the weak. In the hearts of people where there is despair, we pray for the strength of hope in You. In places where there is hate and distrust, we pray for the strength of Your love. In souls where the flame of faith flickers, we pray for the strength of believing You for who You are. For those who are having to reimagine their path from here, we pray for strength to dare something quite different than their original plans. You are everything we need and we praise You and thank You for being available to us and giving us an endless supply of strength from You. In the strong name of Jesus our Saviour, Amen,