A Prayer Of Thanks And Blessing for Workers Around The World

 Well, it’s May 1 and around the world we give thanks for workers and celebrate their contributions to our everyday life.  For some this is a bank holiday and a chance to rest from their labours.  For others, during this challenging season of the pandemic this is another stressful wearying day of caring for those who are very ill and so many who struggle to survive.

Whatever your experience of this day we have the comfort of the truth that Jesus Christ is with us  and will work in us today.  The Holy Spirit is not taking a day off but is busy helping us make whatever adjustments and changes are needed so we get through this season and even do it well. 

Jesus left heaven, came to earth and lived among us, for days just like today.  He walked with people, taught them, healed them, comforted and encouraged them. In the middle of the pandemic chaos and challenges, where would we be without the care and love of God and the peace that comes from knowing that He really is still in control and will get us through as we hold onto Him and follow His lead.

So today, let’s pray for that and for all those who have to work in challenging circumstances in spite of the risk, for those who have no work due to layoffs and changes brought about by the pandemic, and those who can rest from their labours today. 

We’ll begin with these familiar words:

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;   establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.  Psalm 90:17

Loving God, Thank you for those workers in homes, industry, health care, transit, government – across the board Lord, who labour on our behalf and for the good of the community.  Lord, we pray today that we would join them in being faithful people who work well and complete the tasks You’ve given us to do.  All work is sacred and we want to do our best to serve You well, God.  You’ve never been lacking in the way You’ve served us and now we want to love You back and serve You well in gratitude for all You have done and continue to do for us. 

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Roman 12:11-12

On this May Day we also give thanks for those workers who are often hidden behind the scenes but who labour hard and long on our behalf, during ordinary times, but also now with increased risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We pray today for migrant workers who assist in so many sectors of society.  We pay them little and ask a lot of them, including smaller closer living arrangements than many of us prefer.  Whether it is agricultural workers in the interior here in British Columbia, or assembly line workers in closed environments with poor air circulation, or the folks working in dark and dreary sweat shops as they seek to make enough money to feed their families. 

We bless custodial staff in stores, apartment buildings, office buildings, and around the community as they enter into places where others have been.  We ask that you help them do a careful and effective job of cleaning and sanitizing and at the same time keep them from contracting anything from the work that they do.

Once again we bring primary health care workers to you. We bless them to be vigilant in the procedures they need to follow with protective equipment and sanitizing as they work.  We continue to lift up community care professionals like nurses and home care workers, those who deliver meals to seniors and do community home care and so on.  Help them to be able to carry out these needed support services for those who are vulnerable.

We pray for teachers and school staff. Give them wisdom and grace as they teach the children not just reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also how to practice safe health procedures in the classroom and on the playground.  In the meantime, we bless parents who are juggling their work at home schedule with so many other family concerns.

And so for all of us, as we labour today at whatever we have responsibility to do in this day, we pray that we will do it with joy, with gratitude, and do it all for the glory of God.  Amen

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  1 Corinthians 10:31