Last Sunday I woke up early and before I even opened my eyes, I began praying for the sick. My wife had been dealing with some new health issues and I eventually got up and wrote these prayers for use in worship.
I was reminded how anemic our theology of sickness and healing often is. Why am I sick? How should I pray? What can I expect?
I’m not sure I get it right either, but maybe these prayers will inspire others living with illness to find their words to pray.
Prayer for our sickness
Lord we want to be well, we want to be healed
We know you love us and care for us
We love you and trust you
And we know you did not make us sick
We grieve with the rest of nature that is broken
We grieve with those who share our pain and fear
We ask that you would give us strength
Where you bring healing, and remission, and new energy, we give thanks
Where you give consolation, comfort, and friends, we give thanks
We thank you for gifted doctors, caregivers, and medicine
We give thanks for all the areas of our lives that are not sick and are budding with goodness
Lord, we hope
We hope in the next day, the coming weeks and seasons
We hope for your help and for your strength
We hope a communal hope for all those who suffer from this life’s ailments
We hope in an ultimate peace, ultimate healing, ultimate wholeness
Lord in your love and mercy for us, hear our prayers
☧
Keener Things 