Praying for Those Who Have Less: How many times have you walked by a homeless person on the street begging for money or heard about someone went without a home for the night because a shelter had no more room?
Poverty isn’t one size fits all and it doesn’t always look like we would expect it to. There are so many people who are underprivileged, poor and going without. It impacts people and communities differently, leaving children vulnerable and, too often, unable to meet their full potential. We should remember to keep those who are underprivileged in our prayers. Prayer has power and prayer is never inadequate. Here is a prayer you can say for the underprivileged and poor.
God, thank you for the abundance of life, relationships, health, comfort, and wealth you have provided, and thank you that even in times of need, despair, and brokenness, you are there. Please, put your arms around children and families in extreme poverty so they feel comfort and hope; meet their needs both physically and spiritually. And, Lord, guide me so I can be your hands and feet pursuing justice for the poor and upholding the cause of the needy.
Lord, I know there are people around the world starving. There isn’t enough food to always go around. Water is contaminated and a commodity that some areas on the earth do not have. There are children dying every day from starvation. And there are those facing daily abuse from those they love or look up to. There are damages done to people every day psychologically, emotionally, and physically. There are girls oppressed in countries where they cannot study to grow out of their oppression. There are places where an education is such a privilege a majority of people never have the opportunity to learn. There are so many underprivileged people in the world, and I lift them all up to you.
Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord, there are so many other people who have so much less than I do. There are those that have no idea what life is like outside of depravity. There are those living every night on the streets, faced with dangers beyond my imagination. There are scary threats that face them every day, and every day is a struggle for them to live. There are those with health and psychological issues that cannot live normally that just need your protection. There are people that cannot seem to find their way through life that may not know how to hear you, but you can be there with them anyhow.