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With the news of new variants of coronavirus developing and surging cases, you may be wondering what you can do or where to turn. As Christians, we know that we can pray. Below is an adapted extract from 5 Things to Pray in a Global Crisis by Rachel Jones to help guide you in praying for those working on the frontline to combat the virus, based on 2 Corinthians 1:3-11.
“Praise be to ... the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles...” (v 3-4).
Think back to periods of ill-health when God has comforted you. Thank God that he looks at our broken world with compassion and stands ready to comfort all those who turn to him for help. Give him thanks for the development of vaccines.
“... so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (v 4).
Pray for medical staff as they seek to comfort the sick and dying, and support one another. Ask God to give them an abundance of compassion, patience and grace. Pray that Christians working in the health service would take every opportunity to speak of the unique comfort that the gospel gives.
“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure ... But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (v 8-9).
Pray for staff as they make difficult decisions about how to treat patients with limited resources. Ask God to give them wisdom. Pray that in this time of great pressure, many staff would come to see their own need of a Saviour who has conquered death.
“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope...” (v 10).
Praise God that he loves to deliver people from danger, including ill-health—in his grace, he often works through the skill of medical professionals. Ask him to use doctors, nurses and others to save many lives, and to bring this pandemic to an end soon. Pray that the vaccines being rolled out are successful and that people will be able to receive them. Pray that those who are most at risk would be vaccinated quickly.
“... as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the prayers of many” (v 11).
Give thanks for ways in which God has answered your prayers for the sick in the past. Who can you “help ... by your prayers” right now?
The current health crisis is such an overwhelming issue that many of us are unsure how to pray, or what for. 5 Things to Pray in a Global Crisis has been written specifically to help Christians in the pandemic. Each spread takes a passage of Scripture and suggests 5 things to pray from it so that we can pray in line with God's will. When we pray in line with God’s priorities, we know that our prayers will be powerful—they really will change things.
Michael is our Digital Marketing Specialist, managing the company's video content and working alongside our authors to promote their books. Before joining TGBC, he spent time at CNN where he contributed to an Emmy award-winning animated series. He attends Cheam Baptist Church.
