From my book Intercessions for a Hurting World, a prayer for those who suffer from arthritis, and the attendant misery this can bring.
God of all,
hear our prayer for those who suffer from arthritis.
We think of the many people,
especially those who are older,
afflicted by osteoarthritis –
joints giving them constant pain,
bones aching,
their sleep disturbed,
mobility restricted
and happiness undermined.
Reach out to help.
Reach out to heal.
We think of those taking painkillers for their condition,
those finding temporary relief through steroid treatment,
those taking other forms of medication,
and those waiting for operations –
replacement hips, knees or other joints –
hoping and praying that the surgery
will give them a new lease of life,
freedom from their discomfort.
Reach out to help.
Reach out to heal.
We think of those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis,
many contracting the condition early in life
and seeing it develop with alarming speed,
bringing with it acute pain and often disabling damage –
hard to bear yet harder still to alleviate,
and with no sign yet of a cure on the horizon.
Reach out to help.
Reach out to heal.
We think of GPs and consultants,
seeking to help their patients in whatever way they can;
of surgeons conducting operations
to bring relief and mobility;
of families and friends striving
to offer practical and emotional support;
and, above all, of dedicated charities,
committed to supporting sufferers and helping
to fund research into new treatments,
so that this cruel disease, in its various forms,
may finally be defeated once and for all.
Reach out to help.
Reach out to heal.
Amen.