I don’t often pray into our work lives and workplaces.
I pray for our families and relationships. I pray for our physical, mental, and emotional health. I pray for our ministries. I pray for our students and their schools. I pray for our communities, our nation, and our world.
I admit I often neglect the places where we spend 40 or more hours each week. I also don’t pray into our commutes, or the off-hours where job stress spills and stains. I may pray that you find what you’re seeking, but I don’t often pray that you find what you need today.
I’ve sensed a lot of job stress swirling around me in recent weeks. I know older folks looking toward retirement with uncertainty. I know younger folks looking for a path. I know people in the middle questioning their chosen paths. I know people moving into new jobs.
I’ve sensed a need for more of His presence in our work lives. It’s Labor Day. Let’s pray.
On September 3, as the sun sets around 7:50 pm, from wherever you may be, with whomever wants to join you, let’s pray together for more of His Light and His Peace and His Hope in our work lives and workplaces.
Pray for people among your family, friends, and neighbors who work, and pray with thanksgiving for all who have retired from work after years of providing and producing.
Let’s pray for people looking for work.
Let’s pray for young people searching for a path.
Let’s pray for older folks looking toward retirement.
Let’s pray for people seeking new opportunities and moving into new positions.
Pray for those who work as first responders and in medical and caring professions.
Pray for everyone involved in educating and caring for our students as the new school year launches.
Pray for the people we see every day as they work to improve our lives and for the ones we never see who work to nourish, protect, and provide for us.
Pray for those whose calling is at home, and for those called to volunteer.
Pray for people in your workplaces and for people with whom you once worked.
Pray that, while at work, we can see and hear and support each other more impactfully.
Lord, help all who labor to find encouragement and opportunity and growth as they work. Help people in every workplace to see and serve, appreciate, and encourage each other. Help people to find relationship at work. Help people to see You more clearly as they work.
Amen.