He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, not pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Revelation 21:4

Lord of all creation,

We know that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth, when You will restore everything to the perfect state in which You created it in Eden. We know that in heaven all our earthly woes will be forgotten. There will be no more death or sickness. Yet here on this earth, we do cope with illness and death. We suffer the effects of disease and watch our loved ones struggle with sickness of all kinds. We see long-term suffering, like battles with cancer, as well as unexpected health crises such as heart attacks. We are even in the midst of a pandemic for COVID. This illness, while not as deadly as some, is new and therefore scary. There is so much about it we don’t know and don’t understand. There is also deep division in our country and across the world as to the best way to stop the spread of COVID. Unfortunately, Lord, much of the discussion surrounding the coronavirus has become very politicized. People who wear masks distrust those who don’t and vice versa. There is division about the effectiveness and requirements of masks, social distancing, and the vaccine. Please help us to remain responsible and level-headed in taking proper precautions while not becoming paranoid. Allow people to distance themselves from the politics behind the issue so we can see what science and research tells us about this disease and how best to deal with it. Prevent politicians from using this as a way to exercise more control and power over their constituents. Allow people to be respectful of the opinions and positions of others regarding COVID protocol. As the Great Physician, we ask You to heal those who have caught the coronavirus and to neutralize the threat of COVID in our country and the world. Be with doctors and nurses and scientists, that they may have wisdom in treating and vaccinating people. We look forward to eternal life with You, when we will all be in perfect health and there will be no more sickness, death, mourning, or pain.

Please be with the following people…

In Your name I pray. Amen.

For a full explanation of this challenge, see the post 12-Minute Prayer Challenge. If you are just joining us, feel free to continue on with us from the current day, or if you prefer, you can go back and start at Day 1.