sustain:if:able kiwi

praying with wool and coin for others (working with Luke 15:1-10)

I was preaching and leading worship on Sunday. The Bible text was Luke 15:1-10, the shepherd who looks for one lost sheep and the woman who looks for one lost coin. Sitting with the two parables, I was struck by the value of sheep and coins. They were significant assets in first century Israel. I wanted the value inherent in these lost things to shape how we prayed.

Hence my prayers for others began by handing out wool (snippets from the end of some balls of wool) and coins (chocolate wrapped in gold foil). Each person was invited to take some wool and a coin.

Then we prayed for others. Here are my words.

Let us pray. As we begin, I invite us to hold our wool. With our eyes closed I invite us to consider how we always see sheep in flocks. Sheep like other sheep. Sheep get very anxious when they are separated from their flock.

Today we pause in silence and think of people we know who might be anxious, who might feel separated from other people and isolated from community.

We ask that they would know that you seek them, look for them and that we would be a community that rejoices when they are found.

As we continue to pray, I invite us to swap our wool for our coin. As we hold our coin, I invite us to consider how coins have value. They are an asset to be treasured. They allow us to have choices and make decisions. Coins empower us.

Today we pause in silence and think of people we know who need to feel valued and be empowered. It might be us. It might be others.

We ask that you would seek them, look for them, and that we would be a community that rejoices when they feel valued and empowered.

With wool and coins, we thank that you value the lost, the anxious and those who feel a long way from home. Thanks that in Jesus Christ you seek us and look for us and call us and welcome us home.

We love. We praise you. We bless you.

Help us as a congregation to celebrate your love and welcome in God’s presence forever.
We pray in the name of the good shepherd and the searching woman. Amen.