Deeper Longings with Jo
28 April 2020
Hi everyone, my name’s Joanne and I attend 2nd congregation at RHC. Recently, I’ve been touched by COVID more personally, where my family member back home in Australia has tested positive for the virus and it took me by surprise. I was a bit shocked. I was grieved by how far away I am from them and how I’m not able to be a helping hand at this time. And my heart quickly went to a desire to ensure that we are ok in terms of relationships at home - not that there was any drama or conflict but I just wanted to have love in our relationship. I want to pray for families today, especially for unity, for love to be in families. So let’s just begin.
Heavenly Father, I thank you, Lord, that you’ve called us yours. You’ve called us your children and you’ve united us by your Spirit, that we may be one in Christ. Father, I just want to pray for those families out there who have so much to adjust to. God, I just ask for your grace and your mercy to come in, for families that might struggle with being in such close quarters for long periods of time. God, I ask that you’ll continue to find your way through to these relationships at home, that you may be a source of strength and a source of love for them, that they may firstly pour it into themselves and then pour it out onto their family members.
Jesus, we just also want to stand in the gap for those that might be in abusive relationships in families. God, we ask for your protection over those who are vulnerable.And God I also ask for those that have families where maybe only themselves are Christians right now, and they feel like there’s a great fight going on in the family home spiritually. God I ask that they will be courageous and bold and strong in their faith. And I pray for brothers and sisters in the faith to surround them in such times, that they may be able to show compassion and love and grace in the home. And that in turn, other family members may see your love and turn their own hearts towards you.
Let us ponder anew and wait upon you, and not be too quick to speak, not be quick to anger. And give us the strength to imitate you in the home. I pray for parents, that they may have extra patience when dealing with their children. I pray for parents to have extra stamina to endure conversations and seek understanding with their children, and that ultimately they will be able to show the love that you have for them, and that they can show that through their relationship with their children.
I pray for the softening of hearts in the home. May people be tenderhearted towards one another. I pray for the maids, or the helpers, that are working in families right now, where they may find difficulty in adjusting to these relationship changes as well, given they’re all together now, all the time. Jesus, I ask, God, that they will have a chance to have a glimpse into a Christian family home and what that may look like. And that they will be interested and curious for the faith for themselves. And I pray for the homeowners to be bold and courageous to extend the Gospel to these people.
Lord, I ask, God, that we can rejoice and praise you for what you have done and what you have accomplished for us on the cross. May the gravity of it sink in for most of us, who may have taken it for granted that we know you. Soften our hearts, Lord, towards you. We long for the day when we can gather together in your name. Help us, God, to endure these times in faithfulness and love, with hope for eternity with you, God. I pray, Lord, that the families will make space for you, God, that they will take a step back. I pray, Lord, that they will look up, they will look into your Word, they won’t numb themselves through this, but that they will awaken their spirit and turn to you, God. Thank you, Jesus. We love you. In your most precious name we pray. Amen.