What a powerful and moving time of prayer we shared on Monday with our brothers and sisters in Christ across Perth as we joined the prayer vigil at Perth Baptist Church. If you were unable to attend, then you can still participate by clicking on the following link and praying through the vigil... 

Prayer Vigil Ukraine - YouTube

At the Vigil we were invited to join in 5 areas of prayer: Protection, Provision, Presence, Perseverence and Peace. We will use these in the prayer below.

As we continue to pray for Peace and Justice through Lent, our hearts break with the heart of God over the ongoing situation in Ukraine. But we are not without hope! The Lord who weeps is also the Lord who redeems, and so we offer our prayers in faith, in hope and in love. 

Today, I am including a prayer from the Methodist Church in the UK as we unite our voices in prayer for Ukraine with others across the Church of Jesus Christ. Perhaps you could read this aloud today as you pray, giving voice to the cries of our hearts, and the hearts of those at the centre of this crisis...

Loving God, your Son Jesus Christ, wept over Jerusalem.
Today, we weep over Ukraine.

We weep for those uprooted from their homes and lives.
We weep for those cowering in basements.
We weep for those who have witnessed death and destruction on their streets.
We weep for those separated from parents, from children, from spouses and siblings.

[Pause to pray for Protection, Provision, Presence, Perseverence and Peace]

We are amazed at the resilience of people seeking to comfort those in need and so we pray for Governments opening up borders so that Ukrainians can have safe passage.

We pray for churches and individuals providing food, clothing and shelter.
We pray for medical workers ensuring that shattered bodies are put back together again.
We pray for ordinary Russians demonstrating and voicing their disapproval of the military actions in Ukraine.

May the Holy Spirit give us the willpower to turn our tears into action also.
May we, through our words, prayers and example pursue the things that make for a just peace in the world today and especially in Ukraine.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray.

Amen

 

Thank you,

Grace and Peace

Ian