All week the Prayer ministry has been sending out prayers in advance of today, the National Day of Prayer.

We have prayed for families and children. We have prayed for Leaders around the world and throughout our nation. We have prayed for the Church, that we might stay true to the guidance and teachings of Jesus Christ. Today we pray for the Earth and for those who have been affected recently by natural disasters.

Lord, Hear our cry –

Almighty God, we acknowledge today the gift that is your Creation. We admit that we could have been better stewards of the world you entrusted to us, and we pray for your forgiveness.

Lead us, Lord, as we search for the best ways to meet the needs of the people while also meeting the needs of the earth. As we wrestle with demanding issues such as energy production, farm crop optimizations, and efficient manufacturing structures, help us all to realize and remember that we only have one earth and that we must be more aware of the balance of the ecosystem and how things are connected.

Help us also Lord to see the world and the people in it through your eyes, finding ways to live in harmony with nature and with each other.

And Lord, today we pray for those who have been affected by the natural disasters that have plagued our world recently:

• We pray for those in Nepal after the earthquake and avalanche there.
• We pray for those in Chile as they cope after the volcanic eruptions.
• We pray for those in California and throughout the west, and those in Pakistan as they face horrible droughts.
• We pray for those in Oklahoma and throughout the Midwest, and those in North Germany as they recover from tornadoes.
• We pray for those in Australia who are fighting huge wildfires.
• We pray for the many thousands of people in Madagascar and Malawi who have been affected by flooding from tropical storm Chedza.

Lord, Hear our Cry. Amen