“We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.”
1 John 3:16 NRSV
Prayer for First Responders
Lord Jesus, You call us into service as we leave our families and friends to go to the place that You have called us. Watch over our children, our loved ones, help them to understand that we love more than they will ever know. Help them to be at peace even though we rush into the unknown. Help them to know that we do the work that we do to safe guard them and those who are cherished by others. Our families are never far from our thoughts, from our hearts.
Lord of protection watch over us as we use the strength that You have given us to lift up others who are in distress. Fill us with compassion each day as we pour it into the lives of the hurting and the suffering. May other feel safe as we come to face the dangers before all of us. Help us to face the fears that can paralyze, to overcome the struggles that can bring the strong to their knees. Help us to bring Your peace with words spoken into the chaos, with actions that build bridges of hope, with the building up of relationships to create community no matter the people or backgrounds.
Lord of clarity, help us to see what others have missed to be able to lead others to safety from abuse, from violence, from disasters. Grant us wisdom from our kitchen tables to the sidewalks and roadways You have called us to serve on. Grant us Your love to overcome our own biases to be able to bring hope into the lives of the lonely and hurting that they would not walk in fear or alone anymore.
Lord of salvation, help us to remember that You are the saviour and we all need help. When our eyes have seen what our souls cannot comprehend, when our tank is empty and we are dying from hurt, Lord help us and guide us to the ones that will walk with us through darkness, confusion, pain, and suffering that no one can see but You. Lord of resurrection help the those who are hurting to rise again in strength and be at peace again. Lord help those who are struggling with the incongruencies of broken morality with actions that should never have been done and words that should not have been spoke, with words that were spoken in haste but cannot be unsaid. Lord have mercy. To those who have never walked this tortured path, may you have compassion on your brothers and sisters who are hurting from the invisible wounds. Have mercy and patience. Lord have mercy on us all as we live and breathe in this broken world yet seek to follow You to see Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
Lord of this life and the next be with those who have laid down their lives for communities, for strangers, to try to make a difference. May their sacrifice not be in vain. Lord walk with those who are grieving and unsettled by the death itself may they find comfort and peace and know they are not forgotten. May we all work together to join in the brokenness of life to seek a new wholeness.
As we serve to bring healing and peace, Lord of all creation watch over us this day, this night, for now and forever more. Amen.