Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might; Thy justice like mountains high soaring above Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all life thou givest, to both great and small; In all life thou livest, the true life of all; We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, And wither and perish but naught changeth thee.
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light, Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight; All praise we would render, O help us to see ‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.
The CARE Prayer Diary is written by Revd. Celia Bowring.
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Revd. Celia Bowring
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Walter C Smith written in 1836
Pictured on our cover is Arolla Lake in Canton Valais, Switzerland.
CARING FOR CHILDREN
Father, we pray for the 14 million children and young people living in the UK, each known and loved by You, to flourish. Please help those who are affected by poverty, illness, troubled family relationships, problems at school, neglect, abuse, injustice and other difficulties. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
SUN 20
MON 21
Lord, we remember the over 2,000 UK children waiting to be adopted – 20% of them aged five or over, almost half in sibling groups and many having special educational needs or a disability. We pray for more people to consider adopting, and that important processes can be accelerated. In Your mercy. Amen.
TUES 22
Gentle Saviour, we pray that Christians involved in caring for vulnerable children may be channels of Your love. Please especially bless Home for Good (now merged with Safe Families) and similar organisations that serve children and families and engage with the Church. By Your strength. Amen. (homeforgood.org.uk)
WED 23
It was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love … and I bent down to them and fed them.’
HOSEA 11:3-5 (ESV)
THURS 24
Father, we ask that families with very young children, especially those struggling with feeding, sleeping and other issues will receive fresh energy and wisdom for each new day. Please help them to build on their parenting skills and remind them of Your love and care. By Your grace. Amen.
FRI 25
Thank You, Lord, for the many local authority, school, church, charity and other initiatives that work with children in many ways; providing activities, meals, encouragement and mentoring, and offer parents and carers support in their important role. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
SAT 26
Father, we pray for Christian and other organisations and projects dedicated to caring for the world’s orphans and other children in desperate need. Please provide necessary resources and give great wisdom to those directing and serving in these situations. In Your mercy. Amen. OCTOBER 21-27 IS NATIONAL
Dear God, please protect vulnerable ‘looked after children’ –who are mostly fostered – and grant them the stability and warm affection they need. We pray for resolution for young people in placements that break down, affecting their emotional wellbeing and disrupting their lives. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
UNICEF estimates that there are 17.6 million children who have lost both parents. But most global data estimates do not include the millions of children living in institutions and on the streets. Victims of exploitation and trafficking are also underreported or not reported at all.
LIVING AND DYING
SUN 27
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR LIFE (contact ndop4life.org.uk to join Zoom meeting) Loving Redeemer, we grieve over every unborn life that is lost and for babies who die at birth or soon afterwards. Please comfort mothers, fathers and others who remember and grieve, and especially draw close to those who live with deep regrets because of an abortion. Thank You for the forgiveness and peace You give. Amen.
MON 28
Lord, we pray that any plans to bring forward legislation anywhere in the UK to make abortion more easily available, will be thwarted. Please grant strategic wisdom to pro-life politicians and others seeking to preserve important safeguards and protect the unborn. In Your mercy. Amen.
TUES 29
God of hope, please draw near to patients in hospital intensive care units who are seriously ill or recovering from life-threatening conditions. Pour out Your healing power and equip those who are caring for them with the skill and vigilance they need to save their lives. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Lord of life, please give strategic wisdom to Care Not Killing, a Christian-led UK-based alliance of over 40 organisations, including CARE, and to members of the House of Lords as they oppose Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill that would place pressure on vulnerable people and potentially pave the way for euthanasia in the UK. We pray it will be defeated. In Christ’s name. Amen.
WED 30
‘If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me…” even the darkness is not dark to You … For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!’ PSALM 139:11-14,17 (ESV)
THURS 31
Father, please bless all who work in palliative medicine and care in hospitals, hospices and people’s homes to alleviate pain and provide dignity and comfort for those nearing the end of their lives. We pray for this to be available for everyone in every part of the UK. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
Lord, thank You for the thousands of local and national charities and groups that support those with life-limiting illnesses, providing research, information, advice and practical support. Please encourage everyone involved as they reach out to people and their families. By Your grace. Amen.
FRI 1
SAT 2
God of compassion and grace, please comfort anyone who is grieving for a person who has taken their own life. Grant them Your peace that passes understanding in the midst of their grief, and strength and courage to live each day with family and friends to support them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Samaritans.org reports there were 6,588 UK cases of ‘death by suspected suicide’ in 2022. Men, especially in their middle years, are 3 to 4 times more likely to take their own lives than women. Emotional challenges along with low income and unmanageable debt, unemployment, poor housing conditions, and other socioeconomic factors all contribute to their high suicide rates.
WORLD STABILITY AND PEACE
SUN
3
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
Loving God, we intercede for the growing number of our sisters and brothers who are attacked, killed, tortured and imprisoned (around 365 million Christians last year were subject to high levels of persecution and discrimination*). Have mercy on Your suffering people. For Christ’s sake. Amen. *World Watch List
MON 4
Father, please grant wisdom and resolve to world leaders and others concerned about the impacts of changing climate on food, water and energy supplies, increased competition over natural resources, loss of livelihoods, climate-related disasters, and forced migration. In Your mercy. Amen.
TUES 5
UNITED STATES 60th PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Lord, may Your will be done as millions of Americans vote. We pray the new President will acknowledge their need for Your wisdom and grace, be willing to serve all people and fear You aright. Please grant peace throughout the nation and renewed unity across the political divide. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God of all Creation, please raise up more righteous leaders in our day, who will discern and submit to Your ways of wisdom in the spheres of politics, finance and business, the environment, health, education, science, law and order, culture and throughout the Church. By Your grace. Amen.
WED 6
‘And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.’
MICAH 4:3 (KJV)
THURS 7
Lord, we pray about developments in artificial intelligence (AI) that will transform the way we live. Please help us to implement effective safeguards to counter any unethical, criminal and other dangerous consequences that could threaten world stability and peace. In Your mercy. Amen.
FRI 8
Sovereign Lord, thank You that we can trust in You in times of economic instability that affect our world, as markets respond to geopolitical events and other factors that bring uncertainty. Help those of us who have much, to be increasingly generous towards those in need. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
SAT 9
Father of compassion, please show mercy to the 120 million people forcibly displaced due to conflict, persecution, human rights violations, disasters and instability – a third of whom have fled their country as refugees. We intercede for their protection and rehabilitation. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
‘War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.’ (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers – The Lord of the Rings)
10 – 16
RESPECTING OTHERS
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY –
SUN 10
Commemorating the contribution of British and Commonwealth service men and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts. Almighty and everlasting God, today we gratefully remember those who died to uphold freedom and justice. Please comfort their bereaved families and grant healing and peace to all who have been wounded in body, mind and spirit. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
MON 11
ANTI-BULLYING WEEK begins –‘Choose Respect.’
Father, please help those, especially children and young people, who are subjected to physical, verbal, and online shaming, bullying and abuse. Grant them courage in these distressing situations. We pray too for those responsible to repent and ask for help to change their ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
TUES 12
Dear Jesus, we pray that more people in the world of politics will challenge disrespect and divisiveness and encourage Christian virtues of honouring one another and speaking truth in love. Grant them wisdom and courage to uphold their convictions and respond with civility. By Your grace. Amen.
WED 13
Lord, we remember with respect the often-overlooked people who do unpleasant and hazardous tasks: such as street sweepers, refuse collectors, pest control, sewerage, recycling and landfill workers, and those ‘deep cleaning’ unsanitary and contaminated areas. Please bless them. Amen.
‘Live together in love, as though you had only one mind and one spirit between you … in humility think more of each other than you do of yourselves … learn to see things from other people’s point of view.’
PHILIPPIANS 2:2-4 (JB PHILLIPS NEW TESTAMENT)
THURS 14
God of grace, we intercede for a change of heart in those who communicate often with rudeness, intolerance, hatred and untruths especially online. Please raise up people of integrity, eloquence, good humour, humility and forbearance to influence the media and wider society. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
FRI 15
Loving Saviour, thank You for the attentive care and dignity shown by so many medical staff, carers and others who look after vulnerable people with dementia and other conditions that weaken body, mind and spirit. Please renew their strength each day. By Your grace. Amen.
SAT 16
Lord, we pray for people experiencing discrimination, insults or worse, motivated by racist attitudes or contempt for others deemed to be somehow ‘different.’ May society strongly reject such prejudice that can lead to hateful speech, intolerance and even violence. In Jesus’ name Amen.
In recent years, the United Kingdom has seen a surge of police recorded hate crimes – almost 150,000 last year. About two thirds of these relate to race. 80% of online hate crime relates to violence against someone, through threats and extreme comments. (House of Commons Library ‘Hate Crime Statistics’)
PROVIDING HOMES
Lord Jesus, thank You for preparing a place for us in Your Father’s House to be with You forever. Meanwhile, may Your kingdom come increasingly on earth, as multitudes receive the forgiveness and grace that brings them home because You died and rose again to free us from sin. Glory to Your name! Amen.
SUN 17
MON 18
Father, please help local authority employees and charities working with homeless people to be increasingly successful in finding longterm solutions to the complex problems involved in helping people to recover their lives and receive the support they need. In Your grace. Amen.
TUES 19
O Lord, we pray about the growing housing crisis, that ‘compared to other European countries, Britain has a backlog of millions of homes that are missing from the housing market.’* Please help everyone involved to work cooperatively towards solving this problem. In Your mercy. Amen. (*centreforcities.org)
WED 20
Sovereign God, please grant Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and her team responsible for housing, communities and local government, remarkable strategic insight and successful partnerships to reform planning policies and facilitate major building projects that include many ‘affordable homes.’ In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.’ PSALM 127:1 (NLT)
THURS
21
Gracious God, please continue to inspire and commission Your Church in cities across the world to preach the gospel, help the needy, speak out for righteousness and justice and pray fervently for the welfare of all who live there. To Christ be the glory. Amen.
FRI 22
Loving Father, we thank you for those helping vulnerable individuals who are leaving state institutions such as hospitals, prisons and childcare placements – in danger of becoming homeless or having to stay somewhere that is inadequate – to find secure accommodation. May you bless the work of their hands. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
SAT
23
Lord, we pray that those in government who are responsible for overhauling planning systems and setting targets to tackle the UK’s housing crisis will make wise decisions that protect important green spaces but identify and release enough suitable land to build urgently needed new homes. In Your mercy. Amen.
Local planning authorities decide if a development will go ahead: to provide for the community’s needs whilst conserving the best of our heritage. Sites are designated as:
• Green belt land – a buffer between towns, and between town and countryside.
• Grey belt – land on the edge of existing settlements or roads, old petrol stations and car parks.
• Brownfield – old industrial or already built-on land.
FATHERHOOD
Father God, please encourage men to reflect on the responsibility, joy and privilege of caring for children. May Your love be reflected in generous, gentle relationships of wise leadership between children and fathers, grandfathers and other relatives and friends. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
SUN 24
MON 25
Lord, we intercede for a major shift in society back towards a firm belief that a couple’s commitment to marriage is the best basis for family life, whilst affirming and supporting the UK’s 2 million lone parents – 84% of them mothers, who are raising 3.3 million children. In Your mercy. Amen.
TUES 26
Loving Lord who cares for widows and orphans, we pray for the millions of fatherless families who have never known a father or been separated because of relationship breakdown, war and conflict, migration, poverty, natural disasters and other factors. Have mercy on them each day. Amen.
WED 27
Father, we pray for fathers who are raising children alone – over 450,000 in the UK – and those living apart from their families, doing their best to build and maintain a positive relationship with them. Please provide for their practical, emotional and social needs. May many of them turn to You. In Christ’s name. Amen.
‘God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.’
2 CORINTHIANS 1:3,4 (NLT)
THURS 28
O God, please strengthen those with difficult, sad or non-existent memories of a father who carry emotional pain and vulnerability in their hearts. May they experience positive relationships with family, friends and others – and above all, with You – that will bring them recovery and flourishing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Heavenly Father, thank You for every child who has been received into a family through fostering, adoption and other informal ways; giving them opportunities to experience the kindness, protection and leadership of a good earthly father. Grant your wisdom, gentleness and grace. Amen.
FRI 29
SAT 30
Loving Holy Spirit, Your Word says that humble, respectful and grateful fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Please reveal to us more of the Father’s glory as Creator and His deep and costly love in sending His Son to save us, bringing us home to be His family. By Your grace. Amen.
‘We may look into His fatherly heart and sense how boundlessly He loves us. That should warm our hearts, setting them aglow with thankfulness.’ (Martin Luther)
CARE FOR THE POOR
SUN 1 WORLD AIDS DAY –
‘Remember and Commit.’
Lord, we remember the 36.7 million people living with HIV today, and the many others who are affected by and vulnerable to this 40-year-old epidemic. Please bless services that provide testing, education, care and support, and prevention strategies to achieve universal health coverage. In Your mercy. Amen.
MON 2
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY – focusing on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict. Lord, in Your mercy, set these captives free from their slavery. Bring them home to Your love. Amen.
TUES 3 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DISABLED PERSONS
Lord, may those who live with a disability, especially the most disadvantaged, look to You for strength and hope. Please bless the work of everyone who is seeking to break down barriers, promote opportunity and create a world where individuals with disabilities can fully participate and thrive. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
WED 4
Father, please grant the UK government insight, vision and a workable strategy to implement policies that can radically improve the lives of the 4.3 million children in poverty, many of whom have at least one parent in paid work, and address the underlying causes. In Your mercy. Amen.
Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” LUKE 4:17-19 (NLT)
THURS 5
Compassionate Saviour, we intercede for the world’s 19 million refugee and asylum-seeking children – 40% of all refugees. Please bring them to a place of safety, where they can receive medical care, education and find hope according to Your plan for their lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thank You, Lord, for Christian initiatives such as foodbanks, debt advice, housing and other social action projects that help families and individuals living in poverty. We pray for more churches and community groups to work together creatively to meet people’s needs. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
FRI 6
SAT 7
Father, as winter deepens, we remember households having to choose between ‘eating or heating’ as the problem of fuel poverty continues –when more than 10% of income has to be spent on energy costs. We pray for relief to be given to such vulnerable people. In Your mercy. Amen.
Today, global profits accrued by modern slavery and human trafficking are believed to exceed £120 billion. According to the United Nations, slavery traps over 40 million people globally into unimaginable suffering, one in four of them children.
JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS
Lord Jesus, You laid down Your human rights for the sake of those You came to save. Help us to be discerning in our speech and actions, to ‘seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness’ by standing up for others’ justice, before defending our own interests. By Your grace. Amen.
SUN 8
MON 9 INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY
Holy God, may today’s call to action result in increased determination to combat corruption, promote transparency, and uphold ethical values across the world. Please expose any politicians, public officials, finance and business leaders, police and others who abuse their position for personal gain. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
TUES 10
– ‘Reducing inequalities and advancing human rights’. Lord, please rescue those who are denied basic human rights, to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, to work and access education. In Your mercy. Amen.
WED 11
God of perfect justice, please help all who serve within the criminal justice system to perform their duties with integrity and wisdom. Equip them to deliver justice for all by convicting and punishing the guilty, promoting rehabilitation and protecting the innocent. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
‘A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He.’
Deuteronomy 32:4 (ESV)
‘Hate evil, and love good … Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.’
AMOS 5:15,24 (ESV)
THURS 12
Father, so many people of injustice, greed, exploitation and dishonesty seem to flourish, but Your Word promises that You ‘see their judgement coming… the strength of the wicked will be shattered.’* We pray for justice for those who are oppressed in our day! In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. (*Psalm 37:13,17 (NLT))
FRI 13
Lord, we thank You for every police officer who acts with integrity and courage: responding to calls for help, investigating incidents, offences and crimes, protecting the public and supporting communities. Please help them as they seek to fulfil these and other duties. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
SAT 14
God of truth, please help people within the demanding and complex sphere of politics to maintain high ethical standards, especially in situations when wise compromise is necessary to achieve an important end. Grant them courage to withdraw when this is not right. By Your grace. Amen.
‘We do justice when we give all human beings their due as creations of God. Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs but generosity and social concern, especially toward the poor and vulnerable.’ (Dr Timothy Keller)
15 – 21
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
Lord, as the NHS – delivering care to a million people every day – is braced to meet extra winter demands, we intercede for those in GP practices, emergency departments and other services coping with backlogs, long waiting lists, understaffing and other issues. Please pour out Your mercy and strength! Amen.
SUN 15
Father, we pray for more healthcare and other staff to be appointed to ease the immense pressure on the existing NHS workforce. Please help those in authority to assess needs, improve conditions, and provide appropriate training and care that will help every employee to work efficiently. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
MON 16
TUES 17
Dear Lord, please bless all who work within the health services in our own area: in GP surgeries, hospitals, care homes, providing district nursing, health visiting, palliative care, rehabilitation centres, physio, speech and language, and occupational therapy and other services. By Your grace. Amen.
WED 18
Our Redeemer, please guide Health and Social Care Secretary
Wes Streeting MP as he aspires to improve the nation’s health: by cutting waiting times to get people back to work, expanding UK medical sciences and technology and developing NHS training and employment to deliver growth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
‘Let us, your servants, see You work again; let our children see Your glory. And may the Lord our God show us His approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!’
PSALM 90:16,17 (NLT)
THURS 19
God of grace, we pray for the best recommendations of Professor Lord Darzi’s recent investigation of the issues facing the NHS to be implemented. May a spirit of unity and resolve prevail in the discussions and decisions ahead, to bring about lasting and effective change. In Your mercy. Amen.
FRI 20
Lord, we gratefully remember the vision and hard work of those who first envisaged the NHS and are thankful for all who followed them to build on it. We ask for renewed wisdom and determination to overcome the challenges of responding to today’s needs. In Your strength. Amen.
SAT 21
Christ our Rescuer, we pray for all workers in accident and emergency departments, paramedics and ambulance crews. Please give them the grace they need in the face of suffering and distress, especially when there is a lack of staff, beds and other vital resources. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
‘Your new National Health Service begins on 5th July. It will provide you with all medical, dental, and nursing care. Everyone -- rich or poor, man, woman or child can use it or any part of it. There are no charges, except for a few special items. There are no insurance qualifications. But it is not a “charity”. You are all paying for it, mainly as taxpayers, and it will relieve your money worries in time of illness.’ (Public information leaflet, February 1948)
GOSPEL HOPE
Lord, we pray that over the Christmas season many people will attend church events and services where they hear the wonderful message of hope that You were born to bring peace on earth as our Redeemer. May they believe and respond by giving You their lives. In Your name. Amen.
SUN 22
MON 23
Gentle Saviour, thank You for ‘Open’, CARE’s ministry for women grieving the loss of their unborn child through miscarriage or abortion; encouraging churches to offer a compassionate listening ear and hosting retreats where Christian women may receive peace and hope from Your loving Spirt. By Your grace. Amen. (weareopen.org.uk)
TUES 24
Dear God, we remember those living in countries where Christians suffer fierce persecution and yet have discovered the power and hope of the gospel and put their trust in You. May Your kingdom flourish and Your will unfold in and through the lives of these precious believers. By Your grace. Amen.
WED 25 CHRISTMAS DAY
Father, with joy we celebrate that Your Son was born of Mary to light up the world with hope through His life, death and resurrection. We praise You that the darkness of sin, death and evil is defeated and when Jesus returns, will be no more! Glory, blessing and honour be to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Amen.
‘Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in Him the Gentiles will hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ ROMANS 15:12,13 (NIV)
THURS 26
God of hope, we pray for those in government and other positions of authority in our nation. May they place their hope in Your gospel truths for wisdom and help to find practical, compassionate solutions to the problems caused by poverty, ill health, social division and other issues. In Christ’s name. Amen.
FRI 27
Lord, our Emmanuel, thank You for preachers, evangelists, ministers, teachers and missionaries who share the gospel message wherever You have sent them. Please fill them afresh as they speak of the hope of salvation that our troubled world so desperately needs and open people’s hearts and minds to Your truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Holy Spirit, we remember people whose life experiences make it hard for them to believe in the Father’s unconditional love. Please heal them from emotional pain and mental distress and grant them hope and courage to plant a mustard seed of faith in Christ and receive His grace. Amen.
SAT 28
‘Let this one great, gracious, glorious fact lie in your spirit until it permeates all your thoughts and makes you rejoice even though you are without strength. Rejoice that the Lord Jesus has become your strength and your song – He has become your salvation.’ (Charles Spurgeon)
RESTORING OUR WORLD
SUN 29 God, we praise You for the order and beauty of Creation as You originally made it. Now as our world is suffering from the effects of global warming and exploitation that threaten the balance of nature, please help us to undo as much harm as we can and discover Your ways of restoration. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
MON 30 Lord, we pray that the ‘Great Green Wall’ initiative to combat desertification across 5,000 miles in the Sahara and Sahel regions of Africa will continue to progress, adding to 28 million trees planted so far and bringing new life and hope to those who live there. In Your mercy. Amen.
TUES 31
Merciful God, we intercede for fundamental changes to reverse the contamination of the millions of tons of plastic entering our oceans each year that destroys marine life, pollutes other ecosystems and affects human health. Please cause powerful global companies to stop using single-use plastics and for recycling systems to become more effective. In Christ’s name. Amen.
NEW YEARS DAY
WED 1
Heavenly Father, as a new year begins, please grant us the mercy and grace that we need for every single day. We cannot live without You – so give us an increasing desire to know You more that we may fulfil Your purposes in and through our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
‘I am about to do something new … I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. The wild animals in the fields will thank Me … for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed. ISAIAH 43:19-20 (NLT)
THURS 2
Lord, we intercede for solutions to be found and implemented to reverse the shocking effects of water shortage and pollution affecting one in ten people on the planet. Please grant success to projects to conserve water and protect crucially important wetlands. In Your mercy. Amen.
Glorious Redeemer, we rejoice that one day You will create ‘new heavens and a new earth. All the earlier troubles, chaos, and pain … things of the past, to be forgotten.*’ May this promise inspire us to care for our world now, just as You have commissioned us to do. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
FRI 3
(*Isaiah 65:17, Message)
Lord, we pray for transparency and truth and for world leaders to turn their pledges to reduce harmful emissions into real action, working together for the sake of future generations and protecting those most vulnerable to the effects of global temperature rises. By Your grace. Amen.
SAT 4
• China, USA, India, Brazil and Mexico – top five of 12 countries responsible for 60% of plastic mismanaged at the end of its life.
• Packaging accounts for almost 40% of total weight of global plastic waste.
• 60 multinational companies are responsible for over half of all plastic pollution, six of them for a quarter of it.
OVERCOMING ADDICTIONS
Gracious Redeemer, please lead anyone living with an addiction to find support to turn from it and identify the underlying causes; through recovery groups, counselling, medical and psychiatric care, family and friends. Above all, may they cry out to You for mercy and healing. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
SUN 5
MON 6 Holy Spirit, we intercede for the growing number of individuals who are in the powerful and painful grip of habitual self-harming, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and other debilitating mental and emotional conditions. Please release and heal them in the name of Jesus. Amen.
TUES 7
Father, thank You that the 2023 Online Safety Act requires age verification for anyone to access online violent, corrupting and pornographic content. We pray for this measure to be effectively and speedily implemented to better protect vulnerable young people from harm. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
WED 8
Lord, we pray for greater action to address the current relationship between sport and gambling, especially football, and regulate the dominance of betting advertisements and company logos on players’ kit intended to tempt spectators to bet ‘in order to enjoy sport more.’ In Your mercy. Amen.
‘Be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:12-13 (NIV)
THURS 9
Gracious God, please continue to strengthen people who have taken positive steps to overcome a harmful habit and been set free from addiction to drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling and other things. May they find the support they need and maintain their resolve. By Your grace. Amen.
FRI 10
Father, thank You for organisations that help people to overcome addictions such as: Alcoholics Anonymous and similar groups, Gamcare, Mind, Naked Truth, Salvation Army, Teen Challenge and UK Addiction Treatment Centre along with support from the NHS and others. Please grant them success and encouragement that they are making a real difference. In Your mercy. Amen.
Dear Lord, we ask You to intervene in the lives of young people who are being drawn into habits that may become harmfully addictive, both online and through relationships, activities and addictions that will sap their energy and put them at risk. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
SAT 11
The Gambling Survey for Great Britain reported in 2023 that 48% of over-18s had recently gambled (21% of these just buying lottery tickets.) The most common reasons for gambling were: 86% wanting to win big money, 70% fun, 58% to make money, 55% excitement. Certainly 400,000, but perhaps as many as 1.3 million people in Great Britain may be ‘problem gamblers’. (gamblingcommission.gov.uk)
12 – 18
THE WRITTEN WORD
Author of all truth, please send Your Spirit to help us to humbly accept and apply Your inspired Word to our lives, turning from sin, trusting in Your mercy, pursuing justice and following Your ways of goodness. May we bring honour to You as we seek to serve others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
SUN 12
MON 13
Lord of freedom, please empower those who speak up on behalf of the voiceless by writing to promote justice and truth: through journalism, stories, poetry and songs, radio, television and film, online platforms and individual letters. May they look to You for inspiration for Christ’s sake. Amen.
TUES 14
Creator God, we pray for writers of books, scripts, articles, speeches, websites, journalism, social media, training, Christian content, research and other educational material. Please help them to write with wisdom, integrity and skill according to Your purposes. In Your mercy. Amen.
WED 15
God of all knowledge, thank You for people whose job it is to document and itemise information accurately: in health, education, research, science and technology, law, government and other areas of our shared lives. May they know their work is important and valued. In Your name. Amen.
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart … You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.’ DEUTERONOMY 6:5-9 (ESV)
THURS 16
Lord Jesus, we praise You that despite such historic opposition, Your Word still remains and transforms lives and is more treasured than any other writing. Please bless Bible translators and other ministries that send out the life-changing truth of Scripture across the world. By Your grace. Amen.
FRI 17
Thank You, Lord, for the rich written cultural heritage of Your Church – theology, liturgy, devotional texts, music lyrics and other literature that has inspired Christians down the centuries. We pray that your Spirit will guide today’s writers as they seek to communicate the truth and grace of Your eternal Word. For Your glory! Amen.
Lord, please encourage Christian people to put pen to paper, or the digital equivalent, to communicate what they believe in response to the many situations and attitudes of our increasingly secularised culture. We pray for courage and inspiration to help them. In Your mercy. Amen.
SAT 18
‘The pen is mightier than the sword.” So wrote English author Lord Lytton in 1839. A sword is only effective for defence if you use it. Just as sword skills require practice, so does penmanship… As Christians we have a responsibility to spread the good news and protect those who have no voice.’ (Christian Medical Fellowship Spring Magazine 1998)
40 YEARS, CARE HAS BEEN A VOICE FOR TRUTH IN THE
PUBLIC SQUARE.
Our mission is to bring a uniquely Christian insight to the policies and laws that affect our lives. We believe in a better story for our society and culture, one where the life of every human being, from conception to natural end, is respected and upheld.
