Prayer for the City
Loneliness

This devotional is written by Zoe Peters. Zoe has just graduated from the University of Bristol.
Psalm 23: 4, 6
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Reflection
As someone who regularly battles with feelings of loneliness I am well aware of how difficult a place it is to be in. When we feel alone we believe we are unloved and unknown. This is why for me loneliness feels exactly like ‘the valley of the shadow of death' which David describes in Psalm 23. It is a place of darkness which often seems impossible to get out of.
However, God never leaves us alone there. David knows that despite being in this dark place God is with him. Do you honestly have this assuredness of David that God is with you in all of the rough and lonely times of life?
The Psalm identifies that God brings us 'comfort' and there is an expectation that his ‘goodness and mercy' will follow us. Can you genuinely say you believe this ‘goodness and mercy' can and will extend to every aspect of your life?
If you are currently feeling lonely know that you are deeply and fiercely loved by a God who knows you and sees you exactly where you are. You are not alone. Spend some time sitting and 'dwell[ing] in the house of the Lord' and ask him to meet you where you are. It has brought me immense comfort and healing to know that I am not alone, and that God has and will always be with me.
PRAYER
Loneliness is a massive crisis facing the United Kingdom, and especially during this pandemic. Studies performed by health experts have deemed regular feelings of loneliness as being more dangerous on your health than smoking and obesity.
So, as a church we need to be praying for people in our city who are feeling alone, which statistically is a large percentage of the population. Pray that God meets these people where they are and that they can feel the comfort of knowing God is with them.
Pray especially for students as those aged 16-24 are the loneliest reported group in society. Moving to university is incredibly daunting, and so we need to be praying for young people who are in the city and who are moving here in September.
Alongside praying, we also all need to be making a better effort at including people who may be lonely. Look out for people in your church/university/work/ whole life who are alone. Ask how people are doing, call them for a chat or a socially distanced meet up.
However, God never leaves us alone there. David knows that despite being in this dark place God is with him. Do you honestly have this assuredness of David that God is with you in all of the rough and lonely times of life?
The Psalm identifies that God brings us 'comfort' and there is an expectation that his ‘goodness and mercy' will follow us. Can you genuinely say you believe this ‘goodness and mercy' can and will extend to every aspect of your life?
If you are currently feeling lonely know that you are deeply and fiercely loved by a God who knows you and sees you exactly where you are. You are not alone. Spend some time sitting and 'dwell[ing] in the house of the Lord' and ask him to meet you where you are. It has brought me immense comfort and healing to know that I am not alone, and that God has and will always be with me.
PRAYER
Loneliness is a massive crisis facing the United Kingdom, and especially during this pandemic. Studies performed by health experts have deemed regular feelings of loneliness as being more dangerous on your health than smoking and obesity.
So, as a church we need to be praying for people in our city who are feeling alone, which statistically is a large percentage of the population. Pray that God meets these people where they are and that they can feel the comfort of knowing God is with them.
Pray especially for students as those aged 16-24 are the loneliest reported group in society. Moving to university is incredibly daunting, and so we need to be praying for young people who are in the city and who are moving here in September.
Alongside praying, we also all need to be making a better effort at including people who may be lonely. Look out for people in your church/university/work/ whole life who are alone. Ask how people are doing, call them for a chat or a socially distanced meet up.
Recent
Archive
2021
January
The Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew
2020
January
New YearNew YearNew YearThe Path to Spiritual GrowthEvery Night with MattThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
February
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
March
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
April
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
May
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukePentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost Prayer
June
July
August
September
EvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the City
October
Prayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansHow to read the bibleConquering ComparisonThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit
November
Elijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaHow to PrayPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPhilemonIntro to Advent
2019
January
John the Baptist prepares the wayJesus announces the good newsJesus heals manyJesus forgives and healsJesus heals on the SabbathParable of the sowerLamp on a standJesus restores a demon possessed manJesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick womanA prophet without honourJohn the Baptist beheadedJesus feeds the five thousandJesus walks on waterThat which defiles
February
Faith of the Syro-phonecian womanFeeding 4000Jesus heals a blind man at BethsaidaTransfigurationJesus heals a boy possessed by an impure spiritJesus predicts his death a second timeDivorceThe rich and the kingdom of GodJesus predicts his death a third timeBlind Bartimaeus receives his sightJesus comes to Jerusalem as kingJesus curses a fig tree and clear the templeThe authority of Jesus questionedPaying tax to CaesarThe greatest commandmentThe destruction of the temple
March
June
July
A Fellowship of DifferenceLove your neighbourLove your enemyNeither Jew nor GentilePray for PrideEphesians 6:10-13Ephesians 6:14Ephesians 6:15Ephesians 6:16Ephesians 6:17Ephesians 6:18-20LoveLove, for the day is nearLove is patientGod is loveCreationSabbathThe Lord does not grow wearyPsalm 23Come all you who are wearyBe stillJesus asleep in the boatQuiet you with love
August
Proverbs 1Proverbs 2Proverbs 3Proverbs 4Proverbs 5Proverbs 6Proverbs 7Proverbs 8Proverbs 9Proverbs 10Proverbs 11Proverbs 12Proverbs 13Proverbs 14Proverbs 15Proverbs 16Proverbs 17Proverbs 18Proverbs 19Proverbs 20Proverbs 21Proverbs 22Proverbs 23Proverbs 24Proverbs 25Proverbs 26Proverbs 27Proverbs 28Proverbs 29Proverbs 30Proverbs 31
September
October
A Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleBack very soonSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the Mount
November
Sermon on the MountSermon on the MountOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the Thessalonians
No Comments