A Prayer for St Patrick's DayAlain Emerson - 15 Mar 2013

We sense that God is at work in Ireland today doing a new thing. That there is a common theme to what a lot of churches, networks and Christians are saying.That God is calling us to:

“rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; to renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”

We believe that we must do something and we must start with prayer. We want to see a fresh move of God’s Holy Spirit in Ireland today. While institutions crumble, we call out to our unchanging God to connect people to him again.

So we are calling on you to pray for this on St Patrick’s day this Sunday.

We have put together a prayer that uses some of the words of St Patrick that you can use if you wish but what we really want to encourage churches in Ireland, and indeed all over the world, to do is to pray for a fresh move of God in Ireland today.

This is something that doesn’t belong to any one group or church or denomination. This is something that unites all those who believe. We want to be a part of it and we would love you to be a part of it too.

So we would love to encourage you to join with us and pray this prayer in your Church this Sunday on St Patrick’s Day. A sign that as the people of God we are in this together, across Ireland and across the world.

A Prayer for St Patrick's Day 2013

Today we claim the power of God to hold us and to lead us,
His eye to watch us – His might to strengthen us,
His ear to hear our needs – His wisdom to teach us,
His hand to guide us – His shield to defend us,
His Word to give us speech – His Spirit to move us.

Christ be with us, Christ within us, Christ behind us,
Christ before us, Christ beside us, Christ to win us,
Christ to comfort and restore us, Christ beneath us,
Christ above us, Christ in the hearts of all that love us,
Christ in the mouth of friends and strangers to us.

Jesus we cry out this St Patrick’s day for your Spirit to move through us,
Jesus pour out your Spirit over our land again,
Jesus rise up in us an adventurous spirit in how we share you with others,
Jesus rise up in us an urgency and energy and wildness of passion for your name like that of St Patrick and our forefathers.

Tiarna lig sé a bheith – LORD let it be – Amen