I met with Ray Metcalfe, the State Manager of Prison Fellowship,Tasmania recently. He forwarded me the following prayer which I would like to share with you.

Loving Father,
Please comfort and care for victims of crime and enable us to be Your feet and hands and mouth as we minister to them in Your name. You are the Great Physician and healer of all. You create healing in our bodies, our minds, and our spirit when we are wounded. You redeem us through Your Son. By Your stripes we are healed. By faith in You we are made whole.

We pray for justice, healing, reparation and reconciliation for all victims of crime.
Help us to help the wounded, to take them to the Inn of healing, to bind up their wounds, and give them all they need to get better, instead of bitter.

Gracious Father we pray for the families and friends of those in prison, that you will provide for them and comfort them. Please sustain and heal the relationships that are fractured by separation. Encourage those who are in need to reach out and seek help and hope.

Father of Mercy, the secrets of all hearts are known to you alone. You know who is just and you forgive the unjust. You alone are the Almighty Judge and we, because of our sin, are not worthy to judge anyone. Your grace and mercy is sufficient.
Holy Spirit, we pray that offenders will ‘come to their senses’ like the lost son (Luk 15:17) and that you will give them a way of escape from sin (1 Co 10:13).
Transform them, renew their minds, grant them repentance and cause them to believe in you. Give them patience and hope in their sufferings, and bring them home again soon. Let them trust in Jesus Christ and live with hope.

We pray that all offenders will make amends for the harm they caused, with restitution and reparation, so that they will find a home in our community.

We ask for your blessings for those who support offenders and victims of crime in our communities. We gather together and stand united with them. We are indeed united in the journey towards healing for all those affected by crime. When one of us is hurting after a robbery, a rape, or a murder we all hurt as a community.
We pray for the restoration of offenders into our community and that we, your people, will do all we can to make righteousness flow like a never ending stream.

Jesus, we pray especially for your church, that it will be a beacon of hope and healing for all those affected by crime.

Thank you for all staff and volunteers, who dedicate their time to care for victims and offenders. We pray that their work will be fruitful and that you will refresh them. We pray that among them your people will be beacons of hope, in whom Christ is manifest, and through whom a defence for the hope that we have is proclaimed.

For Jesus’ sake and in whose mighty name we pray. Amen

Ray can be contacted at the following email address: ray.metcalfe@prisonfellowship.org.au