DAY OF PRAYER
2020
As was announced
to the whole federation of Canadian Reformed Churches a day of prayer has been proclaimed,
a day in which we in unison raise our voices in prayer to our heavenly Father
in light of the COVID-19 virus spreading across the world.
There has also
been a specific request from our seminary to pray for it and its community in
light of the present health crisis.
Before we enter
into a time of prayer please listen to these words from Psalm 46:
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present[b] help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
a very present[b] help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city
of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Please listen also
to Lord’s Day 10 of the Heidelberg Catechism, where we confess what we understand
by the providence of God, where we say:
God’s
providence is
his almighty and ever present
power,
whereby, as with his hand, he
still upholds
heaven and earth and all
creatures,
and so governs them that
leaf
and blade,
rain
and drought,
fruitful
and barren years,
food
and drink,
health
and sickness,
riches
and poverty,
indeed,
all things,
come
to us not by chance
but
by his fatherly hand.
Let
us pray:
Lord, at this time
in which the whole world is experiencing a health and life crisis due to the COVID-19
virus, we humble ourselves before you and offer to you our prayers, for the
world, our communities, our cities, and congregations. We thank you that no
matter what goes on in the world, your love and grace are constant. Please calm
our hearts and turn our attention to you during this time of prayer.
Lord, first of all we humble ourselves before your great
majesty, for we have frequently and grievously sinned against you. We
acknowledge that if you were to enter into judgment with us, we would deserve
nothing but temporal and eternal death. We are deeply conscious of the fact
that we are conceived and born in sin, and that all manner of evil desires
against you and our neighbour fill our hearts. We continually transgress your
commandments, failing to do what you have commanded us, and doing that which
you have expressly forbidden. We all, like sheep, have gone astray and each of
us has turned to his own way. We acknowledge our waywardness, and are heartily
sorry for all our sins. We confess that our transgressions are innumerable, and
that we have nothing with which to repay our debt. Therefore we are not worthy
to be called your children, nor to lift up our eyes to you in heaven.
Nevertheless, O Lord God and gracious Father, we know that
you do not desire the death of the sinner, but rather that he should turn to
you and live. We know that your mercy toward those who turn to you is infinite;
and so we take courage to call upon you from the depths of our hearts, trusting
in our Mediator Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the
world. Have compassion on us and forgive us all our sins for Christ’s sake. Wash
us in the pure fountain of his blood, so that we may become clean and white as
snow. Cover our nakedness with his righteousness, for the glory of your name. Free
our understanding from all blindness, and our hearts from all stubbornness and
rebellion.
Lord, we pray for those who have taken sick, for their full
and successful recovery. Be with their family members and give their medical
caregivers wisdom, patience, and protection from catching the virus themselves.
Pray for elderly persons in long term care homes, and for people with
conditions that would increase their risk if they catch the virus. Give them
special protection. We pray for your hand of blessing upon the vulnerable and
weak. Be with those under quarantine and isolation, be it self or imposed. We pray
that the contagion would quickly slow—locally, nationally, and globally.
Lord, guide those who are working on medical answers to the
pandemic. We pray for quick, safe, effective, and affordable solutions. Bless
researchers working on vaccines and treatments, those who are deciding what
work to fund (and at what expense), those who are making hard decisions on
regulations governing community activities and travel, to manage the spread of
the virus. We pray especially for Prime Minister Trudeau, Premier Ford, Mayor
Eisenberger, and the coronavirus task forces in our country.
We lift up students in our prayers, that they may be able to
continue their educations successfully even if they cannot attend classes. Be
with teachers and administrators scrambling to transition to online teaching
systems.
Help workers who have to stay home with their children, and
those whose incomes are being reduced because of the virus’s effects on
commerce. We pray for those whose jobs have been impacted, temporarily
suspended, or even discontinued. Allow supply chains to remain open so that
shortages may ease. Guide government leaders and the banks in dealing with
stresses on the economy.
Lord, we also lift up before you in prayer our seminary. Be
with both professors and students as they transition from in-class to online
education. Be with the students who continue their studies from home but may
feel lonely or shut-in due to the circumstances. Be with the staff who are
working diligently to keep everything going, but now through modern technology. We
pray for the now-entirely-online visit of a team from the Association for
Theological Schools for re-accreditation, which is scheduled for next week. We pray
for a good outcome to this process. We pray that everyone may remain healthy
and complete the semester well, including the fourth-year students who are
wondering how ecclesiastical exams and potential calls will occur under these
circumstances. We pray for growth and the refining of faith through this trial.
Lord, grant
that we be patient in adversity,
thankful in prosperity,
and that with a view to the future
we may have a firm confidence
in you, our faithful God and Father,
that no creature shall separate us
from your love;
for all creatures are so completely in your
hand
that without your will
they cannot so much as move.
We pray for
perseverance in the faith, that we may continue to trust in you to provide and
that also these events will "work
together for good, for those who are called according to your purpose..."
(Ro 8:28). We pray that through this time of trial we may become ever more "conformed to the image of your Son" (Ro
8:29), We humbly repent for those times we have taken your goodness and grace
for granted and acted as if we did not know you at all. Give us wisdom,
patience, and love for the office bearers of the church as they shepherd us in
this challenging time in the life of the church. Give wisdom, patience, and
love to us all for our interaction with each other as members of the body of
Christ Give us openness to see and make use of opportunities to reach out with
the love of Christ in our dealings with those outside of our church
communities. Grant that during this time of health crisis we may love our
neighbours as ourselves and find innovative though concrete ways in which to
show that we do love them.
Lord, may we
look with zeal to the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ, the moment when he
will make all things well, and good, and new. We so look forward to the coming
of a new heaven and a new earth, when the first heaven and the first earth will
have passed away. When the holy city, New Jerusalem, will come
down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband. That beautiful day when we will hear a loud voice from the
throne, which will say: “Behold, the
dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they
will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. You,
our good, merciful, and gracious God will wipe away every tear from our eyes,
and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor
crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things will have passed away.”
Come Lord Jesus!
Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!
AMEN
Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from
the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the
blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip
you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us[a] that which
is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever
and ever. Amen. (Heb. 13:20-21)
