Prayers for people in crisis

for those with drug addiction

God of love and life, we come to you in prayer for all who are weighed down though the misuse of drugs and for those who prey on others addiction.  We know that drug misuse causes all kinds of trauma for individuals, their families and for the wider community.

Forgive that we have created environments where drug production and trading are more profitable than growing food and that dealing in substances that destroy lives can provide a way of life.

Give power and protection to authorities seeking to disrupt trade in illegal drugs.

Thank you for those who seek to help individuals kick the habit.

Grant perseverance to all on a journey of recovery.

Protect young people from falling into the hands of those who tice them into drug dependency.

In your compassion free those trapped in their addictions, open the hearts of traffickers to see the devastation they cause and bring them from this terrible, degrading and harmful existence. Amen.

Loving God, we place into your care all who are addicted and whose lives are blight by their own or other's drug misuse.  We know the impacts on health and on finances can be devastating, with knock on effects to family and loved ones.  Grant all people dependent on illegal drugs the confidence to seek help and to understand the foolishness of seeking comfort, or strength, 

in ways which only harm.

We thank you for those who work with addicts to help release them form their dependency.  Bless their work.  Guide them in their support for addicts.

We thank you for the customs and policing authorities in their work seeking to combat the trade in illegal drugs.  May they break supply chains and limit the quantity of drugs that makes its way onto the streets.

We pray for those who grow drugs as a means of making a living.  May governments across the world seek to take measure which will enable people have legitimate livelihoods without the need to produce products that do so much harm.

Help those involved in the illegal drugs trade.  Help them to see the impact it has on people's lives.  Turn their hearts to cease this trade. 

God who knows each person and every need, in our compassion, we place all who are affected by the illegal drugs trade into your loving care.  Amen.

for those affected by social media posts

Loving God we know how wonderful Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other platforms can be enabling friends and family to communicate with one another, particularly when they are dispersed across the world.  Social media should be a joy and a pleasure, enabling people to share experiences and communicate with friends.  It should not be a place where there is danger and people are enticed into harmful behaviours.

For those who are abused on line we pray for your protection.  May families and friends provide support, love and care. 

We ask that the owners and managers of social media platforms will seek to do all they can to eliminate all that promotes hate, violence, fear, and terror on the media for which they are responsible.  May people’s safety be a higher priority than profit. May they act to ensure users are always protected and safe.

Help us always to be careful with the way we use our words.  May we never hide behind our anonymity.  Help us to keep the Apostle Paul’s encouragement in mind, whether we are on-line of speaking face to face; “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt.” (Colossians 4:6).

We pray in the name of Christ our Saviour, Amen.

Loving God, who has made us people of community, we thank you for the wonder of the internet.  We thank you that social media can bring people together and enable families and friends to keep in touch when they are miles from one another.  We thank you for the internet's power to inform, educate, facilitate debate and understanding.  May all users be able to detect truth from falsehood, fact from fiction, intentional or unintentional bias, and be discerning of the motives of those posting comments.

We know the damage social media can do to vulnerable and sensitive people, particularly to children and young people.  Help us to avoid using platforms like Twitter to spread abuse, to be disrespectful, or deliberately misinform.  May our anonymity never tempt us to post material that we would not post if our names and addresses were posted alongside. May what we post on social networks build-up people rather than knock them down. Help us always to uphold the values of truth and integrity.  Help us discern what is good and right from what is bad and false. 

In Jesus name we pray.  Amen.

for people displaced from their homes

Loving God, we place into you care all who feel that their safety and economic prospects are so poor that they are forced to leave their homes and seek new places to build their lives.  We know many are so desperate that they make risky journeys and put their lives in the hands of unscrupulous people, often spending huge sums of money.  Countries of destination find it difficult to cope with large numbers of migrants.

Lord, we are reminded that sometimes nations have sought migrants to help grow their economies. It is understandable that people seek safety and security when they live with death and destruction.  It is understandable that people will move from places that are blighted by constant flooding or drought.  We know that people seek better economic opportunities for their families, particularly when unemployment rates are high. 

Loving God  help us to look beyond our own concerns to the needs of those who risk everything seeking the welcome and acceptance of strangers and the chance to build a new life.  May they find security, peace and opportunities to make a contribution to the new communities in which they might build new lives.

In Jesus name we pray.  Amen. 

for people injured at work

Loving Father, we bring to you all who are injured at work and the loved ones, work colleagues and friends of all who have suffered fatal injuries at work.   May they support one another in their grief.  We pray that all work places will be safe places.  May no one take risks with their own or others lives, their safety or health, for the sake of speed or economy. We thank you for all who work to ensure safe and healthy working environments. May all employers and authorities learn from each tragedy so risks can be minimised or removed.  We sometimes are frustrated at health and safety measures, but when we are. remind us of why these are in place.  Remind us, too, that we all have a duty of care towards one another.  Amen. 

for people abducted and kidnapped

Lord, how scary it must be for a person to be kidnapped.  How frightening it must be for parents and family.

Loving God, your Word is full of accounts of miraculous protection. Protect all victims of abduction that they will be treated well, and not abused.

May those held against their will know your presence with them.  Be their companion.  Give them resilience and sustain them through their ordeal. Bring them freedom and restore them to their loved ones.

Work in the hearts of abductors, to release their victims alive, well and unharmed.  Give wisdom to governments, police and security forces to provide people with effective security.  May swift prosecution act as a deterrent.

Loving God we pray the number of kidnappings across the world will begin to fall.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

for people impacted by natural disasters

Loving God we lay before you the needs of all caught up in what we term 'natural disasters', earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane, volcanic eruption or drought.  Help us to understand that many may not be so natural but result from the way we use the earth's resources. 

We ask for your loving care for all who have lost family, friends, homes, treasured possessions, or livelihoods, and for all who are traumatised.  We ask your compassion for all who are vulnerable, such as people who are frail, have a disability, women near to childbirth, and those who are ill.  Be with the local authorities and humanitarian agencies that bring immediate help, support and relief.  Direct their work so that people do not feel isolated and abandoned, but loved and cared for. 

Guide those who assist communities engaging in longer term reconstruction.  May the international community respond to need with urgency.

Help us all, particularly those who make decisions about land use, to be aware of the impact of human activity upon the land.  Help them to mitigate the risks when people's lives and livelihoods may be at risk.  Help us all to treat the natural world with respect and to show our love and care for people in desperate need.  In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

God of love and life, we lay before you the needs of the people struggling with the aftermath of devastation caused by tornadoes, wild fires, flooding, earthquake or volcanic eruption.

Bring comfort to all who have lost;

those who have lost loved ones,

those who have lost homes,

those who have lost their livelihoods. 

We also ask for your embrace around those feeling the lost their towns, the places where they were born and brought up, the schools they went to, the places with good memories and familiarity.

We ask your protection and care for the vulnerable, people old, confused, with metal illness, people homeless and all whose support structures have collapsed.

Guide all now engaged with cleaning up and rebuilding.  May the devastation bring people together in an act of community. 

Be with your church in these places that it may fulfil your calling us to love our neighbour by doing this in many practical ways and well as supporting people through their trauma.

Loving God pour out you blessing and put peace in people's hearts.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 

for people living with drought

Loving God, we know that we need water to sustain life.  Our hearts go out to all people hit by drought.  Failing rains suggest that there are climate change issues.  People are forced to leave their homes and so we see a cause of mass migration.  Help us to understand the interconnections of what we do in the world and the impact it has on human life. 

May those who have left their homes find the water they seek.  May this not be a cause of conflict with others.

Help us all to recognise the needs of our neighbours in far away places, as well as those who live next door, that we may live up to the command to love our neighbour.

We ask this in Jesus name Amen. 

Almighty, God, we bring to you our concerns for baked soils, thirty herds and withering crops.  Forgive our misuse of your wonderful creation.  Help us to listen to the land that sustain all life. May the extremes of temperature, rainfall and drought be a warning to us all to act swiftly in addressing the climate crisis.

We thank you for those who work to maintain power supplies, particularly through these demanding times.  May government authorities plan for greater resilience.  May communities across the continent work cooperatively to conserve precious water supplies.  Through this period of drought may we learn more about our interdependence and how the actions of the few impact upon the many.  Move us to protect those most vulnerable.

Lord, when the rain falls, may it fall gently, may we not suffer flooding and loss of water.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

for victims of fraud

Loving God we pray for the victims of non-violent, but intrusive crime.  When money is lost, particularly through fraud when people have been unwittingly coerced into making money transfers, this can have devastating effects; people lose valuable savings and can feel violated and vulnerable.  So, we pray that victims of scams and fraud will be restored.

We ask that they will be helped and supported by the police and that there will be serious investigations to recover stolen funds.

Guide those with power and influence in financial institutions to take measures to prevent this kind of crime.

Amen.

for people fleeing oppression and seeking asylum

Loving God, whose Son became a refugee and had no place to call his own; look mercifully upon those who leave their homes in search of a safe place to live.  Often they risk their lives to people traffickers  and make dangerous sea crossings in unseaworthy boats.  We cannot imagine how desperate people must be to put their own lives and those of their families at such risk.

We pray that the governments and authorities will act with compassion and care for each individual.  We pray for wisdom for all those who make decisions that impact refugees. May the way these travellers are treated be humane.  Guide governments to work co-operatively together to find ways to ensure children, women and men need not put their lives at risk.

Help governments, and all of us, to understand all that causes people to make monumental, costly and dangerous journeys.

Show us how we can love our neighbour as ourselves, and to love them sacrificially, as Jesus Christ loves us.

Loving God, we place this complex and demanding situation in your hands.  We ask for your comfort and care for the relatives of those who have died wherever in the world they may be.

We ask this in Jesus name Amen.

for victims of rape

Loving God, we cry for all who are victims of rape. Our souls anguish with the pain of those who have been have been hurt in body, mind, and spirit.  Give your comfort, peace and healing to all women and girls who have been sexually abused. Soothe hearts and show the way to justice and wholeness. May sexual assault never be a weapon of war.  May all in militia who violate women be brought to justice. We thank you that those in South Africa have been brought to the Courts, we pray that justice will be done. 

Help us to educate our children to give dignity and respect to all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality or political difference.  May we understand that all are made by you, in your image, that you love each and everyone of us, and that to harm another is to damage your creation.

We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

for people impacted by fire

Loving God, we bring to your care all who have been affected by fire, those who mourn their loved ones or work colleagues, people whose homes have been destroyed, those who have been affected by smoke or trauma, others anxious about loss of business documents or how they will continue their businesses.

We know that many die in fires around the world each year.  Being trapped in a burning building must be so frightening.

We bring to your judgement and care all who deliberately start fires knowing that there will be harm and death.

We thank you for fire fighters.  We thank you for their bravery and that they are willing to risk their lives for the sake of saving others.

We pray that Authorities will ensure that buildings are able to confine a fire enabling safe and rapid evacuation.

We ask for peace in the hearts and minds of all who have been caught in blazing buildings or lost their homes and treasured possessions.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

for people abused on social media

Lord Jesus, you experience the abuse of those who sought to harm you.  You were subject to false allegations. We bring to you all who experience the psychological fear of abuse by social media where falsehoods and hate are designed to bring hurt and to damage reputations.

As James wrote, "the tongue is a small part of the body but makes great boasts." We thank you that he reminds us that a word can be like a spark in a forest and set the whole world on fire.  So it is with what we write, for "the pen is mightier than the sword ".  On-line abuse is particularly hurtful for it is easily passed on and difficult to remove.

We ask your protection for those who are victims of this abuse.  We pray they will be supported by family and friends.  Grant them an inner strength to stand strong. We pray that revenge will not be sought for this does nothing to help.

We ask for your guidance of governments and managers of social media companies and that they will endeavour to prevent this kind of abuse and bring to its perpetrators to justice.

By the power of the Holy Spirit help us to treat everyone with dignity and respect.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

for people living with domestic abuse

God of love, ever caring, ever strong, always present, always just, we bring to you all who live with domestic abuse.  Be in all relationships, particularly where love has gone cold.

Help children as they grow to understand the importance of respect and dignity towards partners and that the use of power to control and abuse are unacceptable in intimate relationships.  Help us all to be giving of self for the sake of the other.

Be with the police and justice authorities in our countries around the world, that they will take domestic abuse seriously.  May it never be dismissed as simply ‘family problems’.

Help us create communities where those abused can easily speak out and where protection is given without judgement.  We thank you for those who create places where women can go for help, support and refuge. Help us too, to create communities where any violence, physical or psychological, at home, work or elsewhere is not only unacceptable but driven out.

We thank you for the gift of marriage. May all marriages be places of support, and care and love.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Loving God you are ever caring, ever strong, always present, always just and giver of peace. There are many people in many places who do not experience peace, women and children who live under the dark cloud of domestic violence.  They live among fear in their own homes.  Grant them your protection and freedom from abuse.

We place in your care those who seek to control and have power over others, particularly those in their own families. May love prevail. May hearts and behaviours and attitudes be change.

We thank you for those who work with victims of abuse. Grant them understanding and empathy, compassion and wisdom. May those released from violence and fear be supported and shown dignity, respect and love. Grant them your peace.

In Jesus name we pray Amen.

for children abused in care

Loving Father, we confess that we have not always treated children well.  Across the world, there are so many accounts of institutional abuse of children, although we often speak of these children being in care.  Forgive what has happened and change us so that we might truly care for our young people.

Strengthen and encourage children, and those who are now adults, who have have experienced abuse or neglect of any kind. Give them courage to speak out, so that justice may be done and atrocities prevented.

Lord, break the bonds of hopelessness and helplessness, and heal every emotional, physical and spiritual wound that has been inflicted.

We thank you for those who offer their homes, their time, energy and love to be foster carers.  Bless their work, may it be a blessing to them and the children they foster.  Guide Authorities to have sound mechanisms to ensure all children in care are protected from abuse and exploitation.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. 

for women who are victims of sexual abuse

Loving God we pray for women abused and exploited, and for those who find themselves trapped in situations and relationships from which they cannot escape.  Enfold them in your loving care. Protect them from further abuse.  May they feel your presence and be strengthened by it.  May they never feel alone.   Give them courage to speak out when they can do so safely.  May they be listened too and taken seriously.

Be with police forces and those in the justice system that they will conduct their duties with care, and with respect for victims. May high-profile cases empower other women to speak out.

Keep us all alert, may our eyes and ears be open to abuse. Open our hearts to be more outreaching and supportive to people in abusive situations.   Encourage men to challenge others when they know of, or suspect, abuse.

Loving God, touch the hearts of those who abuse women, transform their thinking and change their behaviours. Help them to know that every person is treasured by you.

We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

for people in modern slavery

God of love, who teaches us to love one another, we bring to you the needs of all enslaved today. Modern slavery robs people of their dignity, freedom and human rights, so help us remove it from our communities. We pray for those enslaved that you will give them both the courage and opportunities to speak out and seek help.  When they do so may they be shielded and protected.  Please also grant them the resilience to endure their captivity. We pray that policing authorities will bring those who enslave others to justice.  Help us all to be vigilant, watchful and aware of those who may need our help, and those who do not know where help may be.

Amen.

for people with suicidal thoughts

Almighty and loving God we place into your hands all who have thoughts of taking their own lives. May your preventative, protecting, intervening power be at work their lives. Remove any thoughts of despair, hopelessness, unworthiness, or powerlessness. May your saving power be known. May your love for all be known.  May your healing and restoration be known.

Be with families and friends of people who have taken their own lives.  Wrap them in your loving arms and grant them your comfort and peace.

May we not be hesitant in speaking openly with others about suicide awareness and prevention.  Encourage health authorities to inform and provide safe places where people can share their concerns and fears.  Bless the work of all charitable organisations established to support people with suicidal thoughts.  

Father God, you are the God of life, may all experience life in all its fullness.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.