Day Six – Some Money

Sometimes I am lucky and have some money in my pocket.

Certainly money is a necessity of life and our use of our money is a challenge in our lives.

So today we think of our use of money and our pursuit of money.

I have some euros in my wallet from our week in Barcelona last year. So we pray for both home and overseas.

A slight warning – the prayers reflect my “leaning to the left” which I know some find unhelpful but these prayers poured out of me today and yesterday and so I include them. If your view is that governments are doing enough and the poor should help themselves, then I respect your opinion but do not agree with you. I hope you will respect my position equally.

Let us pray for the world

Loving Heavenly Father,
your blessings come to us in expected and unexpected ways,
and you provide for us in wonderous ways.

We thank You for Your grace and mercy to all people.
We pray that You would provide everyone with sufficient,
that you will assist us to remove the curse of poverty.

We pray for the governments of the world.
As they so often seem to “pretend” to care, for
things beyond their own borders.
Promising aid but only delivering part or none of that promised.
Where foreign aid budgets are seen as optional added extras
or worse used as negotiating weapons to secure commercial dealings.

Lord we know that there is no real appetite to share equally
and even where there is,
there is so often corruption,
which prevents resources reaching those who need them most.

Lord in all things we place ourselves in humility before you,
knowing that we are helpless to solve these global issues.
We pray that you will hear our cries for justice
in the world’s financial dealings,
in Jesus name we offer this prayer. Amen

Let us pray for ourselves

Lord as we pray for the world, so we pray for ourselves
you freely give us so much
and we give you praise for those gifts.
for our skills and talents which allow us to earn our livings.

We pray for our social concerns,
the way that we earn and use our money
our activism in political and pressure groups
we pray for the many foodbanks around our own country
and that we may campaign against the injustices
which make these a necessity

We see in our media the multi billion earning
multi national companies evading and avoiding taxes
to the benefit of their wealthy shareholders but
to the detriment of the world.
We pray for governments that they may not “fear the dollar”
but implement fair taxation systems.
May we ourselves seek to pay our fair share
not avoiding our responsibilities to those less fortunate than ourselves.

Lord, we see the greed in the world as lottery jackpots soar
and sales swell with the hope of vast wealth
Spending money needed for essentials,
spent on this falsest of hopes.
“Just a bit of fun – I can afford it – What if I win”!
We pray for our church as we accept grants from the Lottery,
in order to maintain our buildings.

We pray for our own judgement
as we decide where we will spend our money.
May we spend wisely causing harm to no one.
Let our income support our families and
your work in the wide world, near and far
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Some resources which might be helpful in our times of devotion.

Hymn – Singing the Faith 702 – I will speak out for those who have no voices

Reading – Proverbs Chapter 30 Verses 1 -14 – “Wise sayings of Agur, son of Jakeh”.

There were lots of passages I could have chosen for this theme so I choose a slightly unfamiliar one but a powerful one nonetheless.