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Psalm 8:6-9
“You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

God of Creation, as World Animal Day is marked today, we give thanks for the amazing, diverse and beautiful animal Kingdom You have created for us. For animals that live in the sky, the land or the sea, we give thanks. For animals that provide us with love and companionship, we give thanks. For animals that work and serve us, we give thanks. For animals that speak of Your creative imagination in their agility, their strength, their speed and their ingenuity, we give thanks. For every species, colour, size and characteristic, we give thanks. On this day Lord, we stop and reflect upon the wonder of Your animal Kingdom because it gives us the opportunity to reflect upon Your creative power. But so too, we know that not all animals are treated with respect and compassion. And so, we pray for the welfare of all animals and give thanks for the work of organisations that seek to protect those animals that are vulnerable in our societies, across the world. Creator God, for Your gift of love in nature, we give thanks. Amen.