A prayer of blessing over communities

Prayer is powerful – and in lockdown, it’s a crucial way for communities of Christians to come together while being physically distant.

As a Tearfund Action team, we’ve been using this prayer of blessing from Local Houses of Prayer to lift up communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. We’ve found it powerful and encouraging, so we’d like to share it with you. 

As recent Tearfund research suggests, more people are praying during lockdown. Is this a prayer you could invite your friends, family, small group or church to join in with?

Prayer of blessing

Heavenly Father, we take upon ourselves the mantle of authority that Jesus delegates to his disciples, and in this unprecedented season we speak to every household in our communities and we say to you:

We bless you in the name of the Lord. We bless you, that the peace of God that passes all understanding may reign over your homes. We bless your marriages, that they may be strong and whole. We bless the partners in each marriage, that the relationship between them may be loving, forgiving, merciful and strong. We bless every intergenerational relationship within each household, that there may be peace and love and understanding flowing between each one.

In particular we bless those in our communities who are feeling alone or isolated at this time. In Jesus’ name we bless every network of wholesome and supportive friendship. We bless you with innovative ways to connect and support one another. We bless your relationships that they may be strengthened and deepened during this season.

We bless the health of all those in our communities, that you may be strong and well. In particular we lift up those who have underlying health conditions and in Jesus’ name we resist any sickness or disease which seeks to invade this community. To every person, both young and old, we say: Be well, be strong, be healthy. To any who are currently suffering with Covid-19, we say: We bless you in Jesus’ name with a speedy recovery. We bless the relatives and friends of those who are sick, that the Lord may comfort you at this time.

To those working on the frontline in health services, we honour you and we bless you in Jesus’ name. We bless you with great strength, wisdom and divine strategies to bring health to those who are suffering so acutely at this time. We bless you with a sustained resilience as you continue to serve the most vulnerable.

To the business owners in our community who continue to serve us, we bless your wealth. We bless you with divine strategies for your business during this challenging season. We bless you to have enough to live and enough to give. We bless the work of your hands that whatever you turn your hand to which is wholesome may be profitable.

We bless the grass of the fields, that it may be strong and nutritious throughout the year. We bless the flocks and herds, that they may be well and strong and that they may multiply. We bless the cultivated land, that it may yield rich harvests.

We bless the local schools at this time. We bless the teachers with creative and engaging strategies to impart principles and learning. We bless the children’s capacity to learn and develop relationships, and we bless their simple trust in Jesus, that their trust may grow and become enriched.

We speak to the churches and all other places of Christian worship and we say: We bless you in the name of the Lord. We bless you as you meet and connect online and in new ways, that the Holy Spirit and the word of God may flow out from you in power. We bless the hearts of all who live in this community, that you may be quickened to hear and respond to the voice of the living God. We bless all who live and work here, that the overspill of the blessings of the presence of the kingdom of God may fall upon you. 

Amen.

Thank you to Local Houses of Prayer for sharing their blessing with us. If you found this prayer helpful, we’d love to hear from you at [email protected].