Taken from the book Prayers for Troubled Times, by Jeannie St. John Taylor, AMG Publishers.

Dear God,

    We’re so thankful you are the author of marriage. It was your idea that a man and his wife would be united as one. You made the perfect plan, but you knew we would be far from perfect. And that can make marriage challenging.

    There are many couples in church and the world who think divorce is the answer to marriage problems. Show them the truth – divorce causes heartache. It is a sin. It is painful. It does not just affect the couple involved, but all those around them, especially the children. Lord, we pray for your hand of restoration to overshadow our nation. Change hearts, priorities, work schedules and lives. Bring healing and forgiveness to the institution of marriage. 

  

     We pray for our pastors and church leaders to take a new stand, a stronger stand, for marriage. Give them boldness to speak out and contradict the lies we have believed regarding divorce.

     Turn the hearts of those with healthy, godly marriages toward couples who are struggling. Give them the desire, the time and the skills to come alongside and mentor those people. Start with the church, Lord. Let the world see what a beautiful gift marriage can be when Jesus Christ is the center.

     Teach us to take our eyes off ourselves and place them first on you and then on our spouses. We look to your Word as the standard, and we remember that you have bound us together in holy matrimony. Teach us to be holy. In the name on of the Holy One, we pray, amen.

Supporting verse:

“Wives submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” Col. 3:18.19

Abba Father,

            Please bless my friends today. Reveal to them how much you love them and who they are in you. Remind them that you created them in your own image to be your much-loved children -- they were never a mistake. You determined the exact times of their births. You joyfully knit them together in the womb, numbered the very hairs on their heads and determined where they would live. You continue to treasure them even now, no matter how they feel or what they believe.

            Please protect them from evil. When troubles seem to overwhelm, rescue and comfort them. Teach them that you are not distant and angry instead you watch and ponder every action because you love them unconditionally. You delight in your children and long to establish and bless them.

            Please give my friends eyes to see who you are and to understand how important they are to you. Bless them in Jesus’ name, amen.

Supporting verses:

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Gen. 1:27

“You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Matt. 5:48

“O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up/ you discern my thoughts from afar. . . .  For you formed my inward parts/ you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Ps. 139: 1,2, 13

“I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness with all my heart and soul.” Jer. 32:41

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined and allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope they might feel their way toward him and find him.” Acts: 17:26

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.” 1 John 4:16

Zeph. 3:17

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor. 1:3-4

           

O God of Heaven and Father of Jesus Christ, 

 We praise you for your love and faithfulness – your unfathomable love that follows us wherever we go. But though down deep we believe you haven’t stopped loving us and you will fulfill your purpose for us, we fight fear when so many things seem to be going wrong. And right now the entire earth seems to be in turmoil

Please keep us from fear today.

Open our eyes to see the ways you are working through the disasters wrapping around the globe and difficulties in our own lives. Help us stop worrying -- because we know we are still safely in your hand and you will fulfill your purpose in our lives. Give us a fresh sense that it isn’t all about us, it’s about you. And we are part of your plan. Help us follow and obey you with joy, Lord, as we return your love. We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Supporting verses:

“Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” Psalm 119:18

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138: 8

“If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” Psalm 139: 8 –12

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91: 1, 2