Shepherding God, you invite us to lie down in green pastures,
to rest beside still water. You promise to restore our soul.
We thank you for summer days of renewal, restoration, and play.
As we stand in a place of need, we thank you that you are our source of rest.
Lord, Jesus, you see what weighs us down,
what causes us to lose heart.
In times of weakness, struggle, and pain,
yours is the strength by which we carry on,
the shoulder we rest our head upon.
When our load is heavy and too much to bear,
yours are the arms stretched out to help us
the grace that we depend on.
In times of weariness and restlessness,
your invitation is heard,
‘Come to me… find rest.’
This is grace indeed,
the path we journey to wholeness
for mind, body and spirit,
the path that leads to you.
God of rest, within your embrace we find comfort and healing. We bring to you those who are weak, or struggling with physical, mental, relational, or spiritual health. You are the great healer, and we pray for healing, restoration, and renewal for those we now name in the silence of our hearts or aloud…………
God of rest, within your embrace we find justice. We bring to you the brave voices who cry out for freedom and those prepared to stand up to injustice. During this Pride Month, we pray for our hearts and minds to be open to our own homophobia, transphobia, to be open to our own racism, sexism, and all the ways we fear those who are different from us. We pray that we will never cease in our journey to learn how to love more radically including walking the path of reconciliation with our Indigenous neighbours.
God of rest, within your embrace we find peace. We bring to you the displaced, refugees who have fled home, victims of violence in its many forms, and for all those who have dedicated their lives for the search for peace and reconciliation.
God of rest, within your embrace we experience belovedness,
belonging, and holy fellowship.
Clear the chaos and the clutter;
clear our eyes that we can see;
all the things that really matter;
Be our peace, we pray in the name of the Prince of Peace. Amen