May we all, Lord, look to You in the darkness of these days and see Your light shining down on us. Photo by StoryBlocks

by Linda Veath

… in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears. — Psalm 18:6 NLT

I turned from the TV this morning, shaking my head at what is going on in our country. Practically everywhere we turn, locally or worldly, there is tragedy and fear. What can I—what can we—do to help? How about praying?

Heavenly Father, Creator of the World, Redeemer for our sins, Sustainer of our Souls, please hear our prayers. Merciful God, turn our thoughts and prayers upward as the Holy Spirit brings them to you. Hear those prayers, search our hearts, and draw us ever closer to You as we cry to You, Our Maker. Make us bold in our faith and compassionate to those who are searching for faith in You.

            Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those in the path of Dorian and other storms. Keep them safe; guide them to shelter; grant them strength, courage, and wisdom for the days that lie ahead. Bring healing to those injured in this hurricane. Gather them into Your arms and hold them close to You.

            Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayer.

Guide our first responders as they risk their lives to help other people. Protect those men and women who bravely forge ahead to protect others. Whether it’s our local volunteer fire departments, city and county police officers, our state police, our military serving home and abroad, our EMTs ……. All of these servants and their spouses and families, need Your protection and care.

            Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord, bring peace and not division to our country. Help us to overcome this madness. Protect our children from those who carelessly or purposely kill them. Bring comfort to  families and true justice to their cities. Open the hearts and minds of those who think killing another person …. or selling drugs to young people …. or entrapping someone in sex trafficking …. is okay. Protect us from the fear that grows within us with one mass murder after another. We plead to You, Lord, that this needless killing be stopped as justice does its job, and love for one another takes over.

            Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayer.

Gracious Lord, we ask that You be with those who are facing illness, treatments, even death. They need Your love and long to be able to rest fully in Your arms, feeling Your presence. Be with their families in all things.

            Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayer.

May we all, Lord, look to You in the darkness of these days and see Your light shining down on us. May we share Your Word with those who need to hear it. May we rest in the assurances and in the midst of times like these, knowing there is no safer place to be. Thank you for sending Jesus to save us from our sins. May that comfort us all the days of our lives.

            Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayer.

AMEN

… if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. — 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT