Seven Ways to Pray for Assisted Suicide

FRIDAY COMPASSIONATE CARING ‘DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, STAND FIRM …

ALWAYS GIVE YOURSELVES FULLY TO THE WORK OF THE LORD, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOUR LABOUR IN THE LORD IS NOT IN VAIN.’ 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58 (NIV)

Lord, we thank You for the many organisations that are standing for life in the ‘Care not Killing’ coalition. Grant unity and discernment as they work together. In Your mercy, Amen.

This leaflet is part of CARE’s ‘Ways to Pray’ series of prayer resources.

CARE also produces a freely available quarterly Prayer Diary that covers a range of topics and consists of prayers, scriptures and relevant information.

This prayer resource, along with many others, is also available online at care.org. uk/prayer. To request further copies of these resources free of charge, please use the contact details below.

As always, we really appreciate you standing with us in prayer.

SATURDAY PEACE AT THE END OF LIFE ‘EVEN THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE DARKEST VALLEY, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME; YOUR ROD AND YOUR STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME.’ PSALM 23:4 (NIV)

Loving Saviour, please draw near with comfort to those who are dying. We ask for opportunities to say goodbye to loved ones and find eternal peace. Through Your compassion and grace, Amen.

CARE (Christian Action Research & Education) 53 Romney St, London, SW1P 3RF Tel: 020 7233 0455 | Email: mail@care.org.uk Chief Executive Ross Hendry | Chairman Rev Lyndon Bowing | Charity No: 1066963 | Scottish Charity No: SC038911

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ASSISTED SUICIDE: where a doctor helps a patient to kill themselves by prescribing a lethal drug for the patient to take. This becomes euthanasia when the doctor administers the drug directly.

SEVEN WAYS TO PRAY ABOUT

ASSISTED SUICIDE ‘DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO PRAYER, BEING WATCHFUL AND THANKFUL.’ COLOSSIANS 4:2 (NIV)

Why do we oppose changing the law on Assisted Suicide?

At CARE, we believe that society has a duty to alleviate suffering by killing pain, not by killing the patient. The UK’s hospice and palliative care are described as the world’s best, providing a compassionate alternative and the best pathway to the end of life.

If Assisted Suicide were to be introduced, the ‘right to die’ would almost certainly become a ‘duty to die’ for those who feel they are a burden to others.

MONDAY DOCTORS, NURSES & OTHER STAFF ‘NOW MAY THE GOD OF PEACE … EQUIP YOU WITH EVERYTHING GOOD FOR DOING HIS WILL, AND MAY HE WORK IN US WHAT IS PLEASING TO HIM.’ HEBREWS 13:20,21 (NIV)

Lord, thank You for the dedication and skills of those working in palliative medicine, therapy, respite care, bereavement support and other services for patients and families. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

ACROSS THE WORLD “I HAVE GIVEN YOU THE CHOICE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH … OH, THAT YOU WOULD CHOOSE LIFE, SO THAT YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS MIGHT LIVE!’ DEUTERONOMY 30:19 (NLT)

Eternal Father, we intercede for the lives of vulnerable people in Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland and parts of the United States where laws to allow assisted suicide can sometimes lead to euthanasia. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

SUNDAY RELIEVING PAIN ‘HEAR MY PRAYER, LORD; LET MY CRY FOR HELP COME TO YOU … FOR MY DAYS VANISH LIKE SMOKE … I FORGET TO EAT MY FOOD. IN MY DISTRESS I GROAN ALOUD AND AM REDUCED TO SKIN AND BONES.’ PSALM 102:1-5 (NIV)

God of mercy, thank You for advances in medicine that mean the suffering of people who have a painful, life-limiting condition can now be greatly alleviated.

Comfort them and their families. Through the saving grace of Christ, Amen.

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY TUESDAY ASSISTED DYING LEGISLATION ‘DRAW NEAR TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.’ HEBREWS 4:16 (ESV)

Sovereign Lord, thank You that scores of peers spoke out powerfully against Baroness Meacher’s Assisted Dying Bill in the House of Lords. May the majority of MPs also oppose this when it reaches the Commons. In Your mercy, Amen.

PALLIATIVE AND HOSPICE CARE ‘LET THE FAVOUR OF THE LORD OUR GOD BE UPON US, AND ESTABLISH THE WORK OF OUR HANDS UPON US; YES. ESTABLISH THE WORK OF OUR HANDS!’ PSALM 90:17 (ESV)

Lord, please provide necessary finances, staff and volunteers to our hundreds of hospices. May more be established, so that holistic and palliative care within a peaceful, compassionate atmosphere can be available for everyone in the UK who needs it. In Christ’s name, Amen.