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

O Father in Heaven who loves us and watches over us,

In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, I ask you to bless my friend today with the rich blessings you promise in your Word.

•        Bless my friend by making him / her able to feel your love and know that   nothing can ever take that love from him / her.

•        Bless my friend with the comfort of knowing you watch over every detail of his / her life.

•       Bless my friend with justice. Protect and defend him / her against deceitful people.

•       Bless all my friend's family: parents, siblings, children and grandchildren.

•       Bless my friend with a tongue that speaks wisdom and encouragement.

•       Bless the nation in which my friend lives so that he / she will live in peace.

•       Bless my friend with confidence that you save everyone who looks to you.

•       Bless my friend with hope.

Supporting verses:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present or things to come, nor powers, not height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Prov. 15:3

“Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!  . . . Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.  . . . But you have saved us from our foes.” 

Psalm 45:1, 5,7

“The tongue of the wise commends knowledge.” Proverbs 15:2

“The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” Psalm 33:11,12

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul form death and keep them alive in famine.” Psalm 33:18

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

Prayer for w Woman Never Loved by Daddy

     Faithful father, who is more important in a little girl’s life than her daddy? He is her first love; her idol. She sees herself through his eyes. If he calls her beautiful, she believes she is beautiful. If he adores his little princess, she knows she is a treasure. 

     Holy God, my friend’s father didn’t know how to love her. He ignored her, criticized her, and punished her harshly. He didn’t know how to cuddle her. He never told her he loved her and he probably never will. That’s why she can’t feel worthy of love. She exhausts her energies striving to prove she is loveable, still struggling to win Daddy’s love. And when she can’t, she searches for other loves to fill the father-shaped hole in her heart. But you and I both know that nothing will satisfy her until she recognizes who you are.

     Open her eyes to the depth of your love for her. Welcome her to Abba Father, her Daddy God. Beckon her to crawl up on your lap and press her head against your strong Father-chest, sinking into the warmth of your love. Enfold her in your arms. Let your truth envelop her. Breathe your Holy Spirit into her heart--filling the emptiness, healing the wounds. Bend your head to whisper beauty. Assure her she is your treasure, your sparkling diamond, and you accept her just as she is. Teach her to close her eyes and quiet her soul because she recognizes your true identity at last. You are her true Father who offers eternal love. She is your beloved daughter. Through Christ you have made this possible, amen.

Supporting verse:

“Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.” Psalm 27:10

Dear loving Abba Daddy, Father God,

       I praise you that my children are imperfect! I ask you to show them what a privilege it is to make mistakes and be inadequate, because that gives you a chance to show how great you are through them. Teach them to humble themselves so that you can lift them up and shine your power through them. Make them thrill to let you claim all the glory for their good deeds.     

      Help them to thank you for the times when, like Moses, they stutter and the words won’t come. Help them to be grateful when they’re shy or lack skill in a sporting event or can’t understand math concepts or master a musical instrument – when they aren’t fast enough or smart enough or skilled enough. Those are the times your strength is made perfect in their weakness. When you use them despite their inadequacies, let people recognize it must be you working through them.

       I pray that inside their hearts and heads they never feel inferior, because they belong to you. Help them feel like a garden fountain—standing, while you flow through them to bless others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Supporting verse:

“Each time he said, ‘My gracious favor is all your need. My power works best in your weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Today’s news reports that at least 100,000 Christians have left Egypt since March. These fleeing Christians are the wealthier of the Coptic Christians who could afford to seek safety, but more of our brothers and sisters don’t have a way to leave the country. They still face danger. Let’s remember them and other suffering parts of Christ’s body in prayer. (You’ll find links to stories after the prayer.)

Merciful God Who loves us, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  

          Our hearts cry out to you for our brothers and sisters around the world who are being tortured and killed for their beliefs. Teach us how to pray effectively since we’ve never experienced what they’re going through. We’ve never felt the depth of fear and desperation that come with persecution. Please guide us as we pray.

Lord, knowing that you answer every prayer asked in the name of your Son Jesus’, and believing that every Christian around the world is precious in your site, we ask for endurance and swift release for those in prison. We pray comfort and safety for Christians who have lost parents and children and spouses. We ask supernatural peace for the ones whose pulse pounds with fear at the sound of a footstep. We plead for courage for the Christians who know they haven’t the strength to stand without your help. Help them all, Jesus! Keep them from the evil one.

We pray for the Christians who are denied jobs simply because others know they believe in you. Please supply a way for them to work and feed themselves and their families. Lift their heads and give them hope. Release them from worry by showing them how to trust in you. Prompt good people who aren’t Believers to have sympathy and lend a hand, just as you prompted so many to help Jews in WW II.

Thank you that a few of our brothers and sisters can leave places where they aren’t safe, but we know that many more will have to stay. Supernaturally open their eyes to believe in the good they are accomplishing for your kingdom even as they suffer.

Lord, our hearts break as we pray this, but we know you’ll be with them. You’ll never leave them or forsake them.

Your Word says we are all one body. Part of our own body is suffering. We who are blessed with safety and security feel helpless to do anything to help them, but we are not. Prayer works miracles. Thank you for giving us the gift of prayer. Don’t let us forget to keep praying. Amen.

 Supporting verses:

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:12,13

“I do not ask that you take them out of this world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” John 17:15

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15:16

“I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5c

Links:

Today’s ANS news story on Egyptian exodus of Christians:   http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11090177.htm

Story and photos from 10-9-11 The Christian Post where 200 Christians were wounded and 26 killed during an attack on a church:

http://global.christianpost.com/news/attack-on-egypts-coptic-christians-leave-26-dead-200-wounded-photos-57745/

Sudan bishop pleads for prayer against genocide:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/pray_for_the_persecuted_church/2011/06/sudan-christians-facing-genocide-bishop-pleads-for-worldwide-prayer.html

Abba Father, Creator of the Universe, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

               You thought of us while your Spirit hovered over the formless mass that became our earth -- before you spoke the first word of creation. Ideas darted and simmered in your mind and you saw our faces and desired relationship with us. Even then. Even before we ever were.

Because you wanted relationship, you created us with the ability to choose our destiny. To decide to return your love -- even though you knew we could never fully understand your agape love. Never really return it.

You were Immanuel, God with us. You walked with the first humans in the garden, speaking with them face to face. Loving them fervently. Continuing to love them after they chose separation from you.

We can’t comprehend that kind of love. We don’t ‘get’ why you still wanted relationship with Mankind. But you did. You still do.

And because you still pursue relationship with us, you sent your Son to the cross, and now his Spirit lives inside each of us who believe in you. You long for us to love you and acknowledge you with our words and thoughts. Your heart beats with eagerness when we look to you. When we turn away we break your heart.

Teach us to love you, Lord. Really love you. Prevent us from focusing on other things and allowing our love for you to fade. Soften our hearts. Increase our faith. Open our eyes to who you are and ways we can please you. Teach to pursue you with fervor. Help us rest and allow you to fill us with contentment so we can enjoy your love. Remind us to magnify and revere your name. Nudge us to speak your praises. We love you, Lord, and we pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Supporting verses:

“. . . He chose us in him before the foundation of the world.” Ephesians 1:4a

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” Genesis 3:8a

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you with his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

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

Thank you, dear God, for you love, your mercy, and your promises. Calm our minds and hearts today as rumors abound concerning terrorist plots, schemes, and activities. We feel overwhelmed with the terrorists’ immense hatred directed toward our country and toward us as Americans and Christians.

       O God, we need your help. Replace our fear with faith. Replace our dismay with hope. Help us focus our eyes and thoughts on you instead of what a terrorist could do to harm our loved ones or us. We want to fix our thoughts on you and your goodness rather than on the evil of terrorism in our world this day. We want to set our sights on your promises rather than any fears of what “might” happen in the event of a terrorist attack.

       You are our God, and we trust you will keep every one of your promises. Place your perfect peace within us as we focus our minds on you. Strengthen us and help us, no matter what happens. Don’t let us be overcome with worry or despair. Let your love and mercy always triumph over evil, hatred and injustice. Help us in times of trouble.

       You are all we need this day. You will hold our lives, our families, and our country in your hand. Now help us rest in your strong right hand and lean on your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen. 

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Find several ways to use the Bible to help you pray on my Jeannie St. John Taylor blog at http://jeanniestjohntaylor.com/