Every Monday, Living Lutheran offers a week’s worth of prayers from the ELCA resource Prayer Ventures, which can be downloaded here. These petitions – one for each day this week – are offered as a guide for your own prayer life as together we pray for the needs of the world and give thanks for the ministries of our church.
Monday, Jan. 25: God chose Paul and turned him from a life of violence to a life of service and proclaiming the gospel. On this Conversion of Paul day, we ask God to remind us that all things are possible through Christ and to not give up on or withhold the good news from people who test our patience or faith.
Tuesday, Jan. 26: ELCA Glocal Mission Gathering musicians inspire participants with their diverse, spirited musical gifts. We remember them in our prayers as they gather for their annual training this week.
Wednesday, Jan. 27: Today we remember Lydia, Phoebe and Dorcas, faithful partners in Paul’s ministry. We give thanks for women of all ages who respond to God’s calling with the use of their skills, experiences and spiritual gifts for ministry in the world.
Thursday, Jan. 28: We give thanks and praise to God for the ways in which the gift of the Holy Spirit flows upon people of every nation and background – without discrimination or favoritism.
Friday, Jan. 29: We remember in our prayers the ELCA’s response to the ongoing refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe and our work with The Lutheran World Federation and companion churches in Hungary and Serbia to provide for the basic needs of those who have fled their homes.
Saturday, Jan. 30: We give thanks for the hope-filled witness and work of congregations and ministries committed to serving low-income and economically depressed communities.
Sunday, Jan. 31: We pray that we will remember and follow the word God revealed in Jesus imploring us to serve people in need, especially when we are tempted to keep God’s love and blessings to ourselves and treat others as outsiders, nonmembers, undeserving or beneath us.