Friends, there are times in every family when sad things happen – we are living through one of those times.

Our dear sister Steph is fighting cancer, unexpectedly a brother Brian has passed away (and there has been uncertainty about how and what can be communicated) and there are others in our church family who are struggling with various physical and mental trials or who are supporting those who are struggling with those trials.

We are living through a time when our future eternal home is more in focus than our temporary present home – but it is still a sad time.

Influenced by Psalm 46, the prayer we prayed on Sunday night, is a prayer of comfort.

Please make this your prayer…

A Prayer

Father, many in our church family are struggling with grief, loss, illness or other suffering. When these things weigh heavily, in the midst of the struggle and the pain, help us not to turn away from you but to allow you to be strong in our weakness. Remind us, as you did the psalmist, that you God are our refuge and strength, our ever present help in trouble.

For those grieving the loss of loved ones, we pray that you would comfort them with the knowledge that our hope is in you, that you Oh Lord are our Rock, our fortress and our deliverer, the rock whom we take refuge. You are our shield and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold.

So Father, help us to keep our eyes firmly on the prize at the end of our race – the hope of heaven. We pray these things in the name of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN.

Written by Anita Mahood.