Thanksgiving Prayer for Soldier and Family Member Far from Home

O Lord,

            You have set your glory above the heavens. The sun and all the stars are the work of your fingers. And yet, amazingly, you are mindful of us. You observe everything we do and our daily lives matter to you. You look down on our loved ones who are too far from home to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with us and your heart aches for them.

So does ours. We want them to feel joy and belonging, to be included in a family. Please ease the loneliness that has settled around some of them like gray fog. Fill the emptiness. Comfort them. Enable the ones we love to feel our love reaching out to them -- longing for them.  Open and increase their awareness of your love and protection surrounding them. Send powerful angels to minister to the loneliness.

Please banish all hopelessness. Help them fix their eyes on you and know you have a future and a hope for them. Keep them safe from the evil one and make it clear that you planned good things for them long ago. Lift their heads and make them able to think on things that are noble and true. Teach them to remember you and their hope of heaven. Give them grateful hearts.

We are so thankful that you have given them to us, Lord. Help us remember that they are in your hand and much loved. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Supporting verses:

“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.  Out of the mouths of babes and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care of him?” Psalm 8:1 - 4

“I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the LORD, you Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor.” Is. 51: 12-13

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Philippians 1:3 – 5

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8