Praying through the darkness: prayers of faith for 2022

Relationships restored

As the book of Ruth continues, we see a God who is faithful – who moves in ways we could never have expected or imagined. Through Naomi, Ruth meets Boaz, who eventually becomes her husband. The book ends with God blessing Ruth and Boaz with a boy, who restores Naomi’s joy and her joy with the Lord (Ruth 4:14-15).

Their son, Obed, is King David’s grandfather and an ancestor of Jesus.

We go from Ruth worshipping foreign gods to becoming part of Jesus’ lineage. This was made possible, in part, due to the relationship between Naomi and Ruth. It highlights to us the power of friendship and togetherness.

Naomi is bitter with God about how her life has turned out (Ruth 1:21), yet God still uses this relationship for his glory.

This pandemic has taught us how interconnected we all are and the importance of relationships. Our days are filled with interactions with others – household members, neighbours, colleagues and people we meet on the highstreet or in our local shops. In person, online or via text, there are limitless opportunities to connect. How can you be a light to others?

Prayer activity:

• Lift up to God a relationship that you would like God to restore in the new year. Pray for God to work through the difficulties and heal any wounds.
• Think about your daily routine and the people you see regularly. In what ways can you share God’s love with them in a practical way? Could you cook them a meal? Ask them if they need anything next time you head to the shops? Ask God to come up with even more suggestions that will enrich the lives of those around you. And then try them out.
• When you are out and about, invite the Holy Spirit to guide you towards someone you could bless practically. This could be buying a cup of coffee for a stranger or asking a homeless person if there’s anything you can get for them. Ask God to give you wisdom and the right words to say and pray that God’s love shines through your deed. Take note of any local coronavirus restrictions to make sure you protect yourself and others.

Our yes

The book of Ruth is a story about two marginalised women who were living in poverty. Both Naomi and Ruth suffered greatly – God never diminishes or belittles their pain. But he does call them to play a part in something greater. We can be encouraged by their story that our suffering matters to God and it equips us to shape the world beyond us.

Life is tough now – we cannot escape that our world is broken. But this is no time to retreat inwards. We can choose to partner with God to help heal it.

One of the ways we can do this is through prayer – by actively deciding to devote time each week to pray for our sisters and brothers around the world who are living in poverty.

Poverty isn’t part of God’s plan. You are. By partnering with God in prayer, lives around the world will be transformed.

Prayer activities:

• Ask God to place on your heart a country or situation to pray for. Spend some time listening and reflecting on what he shares with you.
• Begin by acknowledging God’s power. Then pray general prayers. Pray for God’s kingdom to come. Pray for individuals and communities. Pray for those in power. And pray for the local church to continue to bring hope.
• Find out more information about what’s going on there. You can use our website to help you out. The more you know the more specific your prayers will grow to be.
• Place a reminder in your phone or on your Bible to continue to pray for this country or issue.

For weekly prayer activities and resources to help you pray for people living in poverty, sign up to One Voice, Tearfund’s prayer email. Why not share with a friend or your church small group and go through the email together each week?