The Advent Calendar is over

Day 9 - Zechariah
Zechariah – a prayer




Zechariah Prayer

The angel said: 'You will become mute … because you did not believe my words' ……

because you do not see the freedom that has opened out before you,
because you are still living with ancient disappointments,
because you fear change and disruption to the routines to which you cling.

We pray for those
whose early hopes have been dashed,
who have been disempowered
and beaten down by social structures,
who now hold on to a life which does not satisfy,
who believe that nothing good can happen
and nothing can change now;
who just do their job, what is needed, no more,
or whose ambitions outran their abilities,
who are their own worst enemy;
who when love is shown, do not recognise it,
who when freedom beckons look away
who have the potential for an abundant life,
but have not opened their eyes to it.

Healing God,
spread throughout our communities a compassion
for those who experience self-doubt, lack of love,
abuse, injury, poverty, disability and mental ill health.
Challenge those who stigmatise what they do not understand
and remove their fear and distrust of those who seem different.
Strengthen and encourage those who work through
charities that help to raise awareness of these issues
and move those in government and local authorities
to seek creative ways to respond.
Open our eyes, hearts and churches
to those whose lives are challenged
by things they have not been able to control
or things they have allowed to control them.

May we all sing, with Zechariah

'By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our way into the way of peace.'
AMEN

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