Prayer of Encouragement for 3 December
Deacon Arlene Burton offers the Prayer of Encouragement for 3 December 2021 for our country, businesses, frontline and other workers. Deacon Burton owns the copyright to this post. We reprint here with her permission.
Hi Everyone! I pray for God’s favour and sustenance in your life as you continue on this journey during these unusual times. May God’s hand of comfort and love permeate your spirit and cause you to transcend peace. If you or anyone you know has a prayer request, please let us know and we will include you in our prayers. You may post your prayer request here on our website.
Recently my memory dragged me to a sight that I hoped not to remember. I was driving to work one day when I saw a truck with a flatbed was going in the opposite direction. I noticed that another driver was driving his vehicle up to the driver’s side of the truck trying to get his attention for him to stop. Then I passed a scene where a woman was lying on the ground. She had died at the time. Apparently, she was trying to cross the street which is normally very difficult to do because of the way the stoplights are set up. It is one of those roadways where there is always moving traffic. She was hit by the truck but the driver seemingly did not realize so he pressed on as if nothing happened.
These situations are devastating for the families on both sides. The driver was not speeding and, based on my understanding, he did not break the stoplight. Neither did he knowingly commit any road traffic offence. Yet, he is faced with the distress of someone dying because of his driving and a possible manslaughter charge. Then there is the victim’s family who has to suffer the loss of a loved one, and possibly the loss of income. There may have been children who had to deal with the loss of nurture from a mother and the list goes on.
You know, I thought how frightening it is when we were part of something that contributed to a devastating outcome. There are those people who may know and there are those who may not. Then there are those people who have not gained insight into knowing whether or not there is evidence to show otherwise.
As my thoughts rolled, my mind took me to the encounter between King David and the prophet Nathan. This happened after David felt enticed and decided to take another man’s wife, Bathsheba, and arranged for the husband, Uriah, to be terminated in battle because tricking the man to sleep with his wife did not work. Bathsheba got pregnant and lost the child. David went into distress over that loss but rose from his emotional battle. Yet that was the beginning of much misery for him.
David was trying to take a walk from what he had done but it only resulted in more mess. Interestingly, the prophet Nathan had to take a psychological approach in helping David to recognize that he was king yet being judged in a way that would have been done to the ordinary man. Nathan’s approach helped David not just to know what he had done because he already knew, but to gain insight.
Hear how the passage of scripture relates Nathan’s approach that led to David’s conviction and a revelation of his guilt.
Who sent Nathan to David? “The Lord sent Nathan to David.” (2 Samuel 12:1, NIV).
The Complaint – “..When he came to him he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. Now a traveller came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveller who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him”.” (2 Samuel 12:1-4, NIV).
The Unknowing Conviction – “ David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over because he did such a thing and had no pity.’” (2 Samuel 12:5-6, NIV).
The Revelation – “Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man!’” (2 Samuel 12:7, NIV).
You see, David was busily trying to cover his sins but not mindful that His God is omnipresent and He is the God who sees all things. Hey! Ouch!
You know what was even harder to swallow? Gulp it down. The Lord said; “…’I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms, I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.’” (2 Samuel 12:7-8, NIV).
It felt like the Lord was saying; after all that I have blessed you with; after all that I have given you; if you wanted more, It would have been all yours but…but.. Hey! Why did you partake of the wrong fruit? Why did you have to go and do such a thing? Man! Now, look what you are going to cause.
The consequence – “‘Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own. This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes, I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’” (2 Samuel 12:10-12, NIV). LORD, HAVE MERCY!
As I reflect, I am reminded to be aware of our actions but most of all to be careful, to be aware of our actions, and their consequences. Think bout it, chat bout it what are you going to do about it?
Let us pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. We thank You for this new day, a new month that celebrates Your coming into the world, born of a woman. Lord, thank You for sustenance, for Your grace and mercies to us. We acknowledge Your infinite greatness and that You are the greatest of all.
Lord, we come in the name of Jesus Christ as individuals, families, communities, Churches, businesses, a workforce, youths and children, and citizens as a whole, leaders, government and a country as a whole thanking You for all that You have done and continue to do. Lord, we ask that You forgive all of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Help us to forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil.
Lord, as we place ourselves and country before You we ask that You will have mercy on us and that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We ask for Your continued provisions, covering, protection and guidance in all that we say and do.
If we lift up our eyes to the mountains—where does our help come from? Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let our foot slip—He who watches over us will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over us— the Lord is our shade at our right hand. The sun will not harm us by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep us from all harm— He will watch over our lives, the Lord will watch over our coming and going both now and forevermore.
Lord, we ask that You take control of criminal minds that prey on people by robbing, stealing and killing. Lord, cause it that their plans and actions are exposed and dealt with in the right way. Help them to deal with the solutions to life’s challenges through You. Help us to look to You for salvation. Our help cometh from You, Lord, maker of heaven and earth.
Lord, we lift up to You our youths and others who have end of term/semester exams. We ask for Your guidance, wisdom, knowledge, insight, clarity and discernment. Lord, we ask that You strengthen them mentally and physically. We continue to pray for Jhanelle Black who is currently doing further studies in dentistry, in the UK. Lord, grant them all a spirit of excellence and may Your favour be upon their lives.
Lord, we pray especially for our church leaders, the Honourable Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness, Minister of Health and Wellness, Christopher Tufton, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Nigel Clarke, health workers and support staff, Minister of Education, Youth and the Environment, Fayval Williams; Minister of National Security, Horace Chang and his team, Minister of Justice, Delroy Chuck, and the leader of the opposition Mark Golding and his team. We also remember the judges in our congregation, Paula Blake Powell and Grace Henry McKenzie. Lord, grant them wisdom, knowledge, creativity, strength, courage and understanding to conduct their work. Help them to act in the best interest of those they serve. Also, help them to act with accountability and transparency. Provide for and protect them and their families.
We lift up to You those among us who are in business: Ewan and Maxine Oliver; Lanna and Desmond Bennett; Warrick Bogle, Carol and Leroy Blake, Marcia Leair, Robert and Bevelin Smith, Paulette Dixon, Kemorine and Karl Henry, Ava Comrie, Catherine Barkley and husband, Cornel Richards and family, Everton Lewis, Pauline and Mark Garvey, Brother Astley Hall, Maxine and Benedict Ranger, Melva Knight, Nicole Fender, Sharon Baldie, Karl Jones and others. Lord, cause it that they are sustained even in these deserted times and let Your blessings and mercy be upon them.
We also pray for the frontline workers connected with GMC: Medical Doctors: Asana Anderson Wilks and Rohan Wilks, Kahlete Falloon, Tina Kong, Vernon Jones, Leighton Logan, Emily Reynolds; trainee doctor (, Gabrielle Channer); Dentists: doing emergency cases; Dania Jones, Eleanor Reynolds; Pharmacists: Sandra Bucknor-Jones, Viveen Watson; other doctors and nurses from GMC or in connection with members and adherents of GMC who are working on the frontline (for example Dr Richard Reynolds) and their families. Lord, as we are faced with another strain of the virus, grant them physical and mental strength. Protect them and their families and fill them with extraordinary bowels of compassion as they carry out their daily tasks. Lord, we also lift up for Your healing and the restoration of those who are hospitalized or experiencing physical and mental hurts.
Lord, as we face this time of year, there are many people who exhibit silly behaviours. Grant us insight and help us to exercise good judgement and operate with soundness of minds. Lord, fill us anew with Your peace. Hear, O Lord, and answer in Jesus’ name we pray with thanksgiving.
Amen.
Our Prayers of Encouragement are for everyone. Therefore, if you also need prayer or comfort, please contact us with your request. We would gladly share with you.
Grace Missionary Church is a member of The Missionary Church Association in Jamaica.
