Lord, these are difficult times. Covid-19 has brought many changes to our families. Children who spent their days at school and parents who spent their working lives travelling are now all home.
For some this is a blessing, a time to reconnect. But as the weeks of confinement stretch out ahead of us and the novelty of being home together wears thin, nerves might fray.
Give us the patience, Lord, to live together as one. Help us be more tolerant of each other. Help us to recognise when someone in our household needs space. Empower us to willingly play our part in keeping our families together. We especially remember and pray for those for whom home may be a place of hurt. O Lord hear our prayer.
Reading: James 5 7:12
On earth you have had a life of comfort and luxury; in the time of slaughter you went on eating to your heart's content. It was you who condemned the upright and killed them; they offered you no resistance. Now be patient, brothers, until the Lord's coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains!
You too must be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord's coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in patiently putting up with persecution, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord's name; remember it is those who had perseverance that we say are the blessed ones.
You have heard of the perseverance of Job and understood the Lord's purpose, realising that the Lord is kind and compassionate. Above all, my brothers, do not swear by heaven or by the earth or use any oaths at all. If you mean 'yes', you must say 'yes'; if you mean 'no', say 'no'. Otherwise you make yourselves liable to judgement.
Help me, Lord, to reflect your way of tolerance, patience, and support. Help me work with those I’m confined with and not fight against them.
Other prayer guides:
- For healthcare workers
- For people alone in isolation
- For loved ones who are far away
- For families – that they can deal with the increased stress of confinement
- For leaders of states, countries and communities
- For those working in the food industry
- For those who are grieving over loved ones lost to this epidemic
- For wisdom for scientists and experts who are researching ways to deal with this epidemic.