Prayer for Greece as it considers immigration measures, including a floating wall

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2020/01/31/Greece-to-build-a-floating-fence-in-Aegean-Sea-to-deter-migrants/5701580497631/?sl=4

Heavenly Father, we pray for the Greek government as it discerns the best way to handle its massive influx of refugees. You see how immigration has become an incredibly divisive and sensitive issue worldwide. So many desperate people are fleeing terrible circumstances and throwing themselves upon the mercy of other lands… some with great success, but others end up facing high hostility. We pray for Greece as its people and leaders debate whether building a 1.7-mile floating barrier is a good idea. May they consider values, integrity, resources and safety. May they seek your wisdom in how to best address this concern that is more than a political issue, but which involves people’s very lives. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer for African students trapped in Wuhan

https://apnews.com/fc178264c9eda573efd47d6078f7c22a  PC: Khamis Hassan Bakari via AP

Lord God, we are quite concerned about the new coronavirus that has greatly impacted China and is now spreading throughout the world. There are so many things to pray about, but today we pray for the African students who are “trapped” in Wuhan. With so many other international students being evacuated by their nations, these students (with the exception of Morocco and Algeria) are being left to figure out how to deal with a dangerous virus in a foreign land, where some do not even yet know the language. With people isolated in their homes and these people living in student housing, they are dealing with a great deal of confusion about what is happening, including how to get necessities, and how to keep socially, emotionally and physically healthy. We are thankful for the communication networks that are popping up among these students. We pray these networks will be useful and encouraging. We pray the students will continue to receive the education they came for, either now or in the near future. We pray that they can be evacuated if that is best, but that the virus would not spread into their nations. Please give peace to international students in Wuhan today, as well as the local citizens. In Jesus’ powerful name we pray, amen.  

Prayer following earthquake in eastern Turkey

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/25/europe/turkey-earthquake-intl/index.html

Lord God, we ask for your assistance in eastern Turkey as this region recovers from Friday’s earthquake, which is already known to have killed 29 people and injured more than 1,400. We are thankful for the hard work of the rescue workers, who have already saved at least 43 people from beneath the rubble in Elazig. With awareness of at least 22 more people still trapped, we ask you to undergird and guide workers as they try to rescue all 22. We pray for other trapped survivors to make their presence known throughout the region, so they, too, can be assisted however necessary. We pray against strong aftershocks, Lord. May none of the aftershocks cause bodily harm. We are thankful President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pledged to do everything necessary to protect his citizens. We pray he will make good on this promise in coming days, weeks and months, and we pray that your church will step forward to help those in physical, emotional, financial and spiritual need. Please comfort the grieving in your everlasting arms. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer about martyrdom of Nigerian pastor Lawan Andimi

https://www.christianpost.com/news/nigerian-pastor-who-praised-god-in-ransom-video-beheaded-after-refusing-to-deny-christ.html

Lord God Almighty, it is with both devastation and victory that we declare today that the Rev. Lawan Andimi has triumphed over Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of his testimony; he did not love his life so much as to shrink from death (Revelation 12:11). We know that yours is the salvation and the power and the kingdom and the authority, and that the accuser of our brothers and sisters will be hurled down soon enough (v. 10)! Come, Lord Jesus. As we await your arrival, we do grieve Andimi’s death and thank you for his faithful ministry as the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria’s chapter in the Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State. We thank you for his love for his family and ask your special blessing and protection of them as they grieve. We pray for the world to open its eyes to the persecution in Nigeria and the vile practices of Boko Haram. We pray against this terrorist organization and ask you to thwart their efforts at every turn. We pray for Andimi’s testimony to plague the terrorists who witnessed his persecution and murder at every waking and sleeping moment until they acknowledge that you are the true God, and that they need to bow before you. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer about Bulgaria's water crisis

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bulgaria-government/bulgarias-government-faces-no-confidence-vote-over-water-crisis-idUSKBN1ZJ1N0
 Hristo Vladev / NurPhoto / Getty Images

Lord God, we come to you with concerns about the water crisis in Bulgaria and the accompanying political issues. We pray about the no-confidence vote the Bulgarian government will face next week. We pray for your will to be done regarding this, and that, regardless of the outcome, the government will do its best work in providing for its people. Lord, we are particularly concerned about the water crisis in western Bulgaria, which has been a problem since November. May the truth come out about then-environment minister Neno Dimov, as he faces charges of deliberately mismanaging the water crisis as it unfolded. Of utmost concern, we pray for the almost 100,000 people who have faced water shortages in recent weeks. Please protect and watch over them, granting them resourcefulness and grit as they deal with this trial. We pray for steady access to water as soon as possible. And, Lord, in the midst of this, we are very aware that there are people around the world who regularly deal with water shortages. While we pray for Bulgaria’s crisis today, we also ask your help in these other communities around the world. Please provide them with Living Water (John 4:10), and with clean water for their daily needs. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer for the Philippines during a disastrous time

PC: Jes Aznar

Heavenly Father, we pray for the people of the Philippines, as they have been through so much since Christmas Eve. With Typhoon Phanfone having destroyed homes, businesses, churches, roads and government buildings, and killing at least 50 people on Christmas Eve, that seemed devastating enough. Next came the eruption of the Taal Volcano, and then more than 300 earthquakes in that area. It is almost unfathomable that so many earthquakes could be recorded in such a short amount of time! Yet you see all. You know all. In your omnipotence, Lord God, please intervene in the Philippines. Please empower the relief and repair workers. Provide comfort and care to those who have been injured and those who have lost loved ones. May survivors be found as quickly as possible. And, Lord, please shine brightly through your people as they reach out to those who have been affected by these disasters. Keep hope alive in the Philippines during this hard time. In Jesus’ powerful name we pray, amen.

Prayer about Jerusalem cult compound raid

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2020/01/13/Israeli-police-Raid-busted-rabbi-who-held-women-children-as-slaves/6551578932859/?sl=7

Lord God, we are thrilled that the police successfully raided Jerusalem’s Haredi cult and freed dozens of women and children from captivity! We are thankful that investigators’ hard work over two months paid off in rescuing these people from their abuse. We are also thankful they captured the unnamed rabbi who led this cult and abused these captives for up to 10 years. Heavenly Father, we pray for healing for those who have been set free. We know it will be a long road to recovery from these horrific circumstances. May survivors be reunited with family members wherever that is best. May they receive the services they need--medically, psychologically, financially and spiritually. Lord God, meet with them in this time of healing, drawing them into your arms of comfort, convincing them of their great worth and potential. We pray for the investigation to be efficient and accurate, so that the cult leader and his accomplices can go through the justice system as soon as possible. Please reach the hearts of the perpetrators as well. May they repent and find the kind of freedom they need from their evil deeds. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer and praise about precarious childbirth in South Africa

https://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2020-01-09-hero-taxi-driver-helps-kzn-mom-give-birth-in-minibus-clinic-probed-for-alleged-misconduct/  Image: supplied

Heavenly Father, we are extremely grateful for your intervention during a tense and dangerous labor and delivery. We offer thanksgiving for Nhlonipho Zulu, a taxi driver in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, who tended to a panic-stricken young woman in premature labor. We thank you for his quick actions by first getting this young woman to a clinic for care and for ultimately delivering the child himself in his taxi. We are also grateful for the elders in a nearby homestead en route to Benedictine Hospital who provided assistance. Lord, we are greatly distressed by the allegations that this young woman was not treated properly by the nurses at Buxedene Clinic and was instead sent away, endangering the welfare of the mother and child. We seek the truth in this investigation and for proper action to be taken by the health department to ensure that critical mistakes are not made in the future. We praise you as we learn that the young woman and her newborn are doing well. We pray that this mother and child will both grow in a relationship with you and use this birth story as a platform to share about your greatness and your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer contributed by guest prayer blogger Brandi South:

Brandi South resides in Chambersburg, PA, with her husband, their daughter, and their two rescue cats. She is employed at Shippensburg University of PA and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree starting in the fall. Brandi is a member of Grand Point Church in Chambersburg where she enjoys serving on the First Impressions Team as a greeter. Some of her favorite scripture passages are Psalm 25 and Ephesians 2.

Prayer about death of park rangers in Zimbabwe

https://www.foxnews.com/world/zimbabwe-park-rangers-found-drowned-poachers-attacked

Heavenly Father, we are saddened by the drowning deaths of two park rangers at Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe. We are grateful that their bodies have been recovered after they’ve been missing for a week. We are troubled to learn that the poachers they had arrested are likely responsible for their deaths. We pray that authorities are successful in locating these four suspects and taking them back into custody. We ask that neighboring Zambia is cooperative in this investigation as it is the home country of the poachers. Lord, we are grateful for the commitment these park rangers made to preserving the wildlife in Matusadona National Park. We are sorry that their lives ended so abruptly. We pray that the work of the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority will continue to be effective in minimizing poaching. We ask that you bless their efforts and protect the rangers and wildlife from further harm. Father, you took such great care to create all things. Help us to appreciate and responsibly manage the resources you have entrusted us with. Thwart any motives that are driven by greed and malice. We remain in awe of your beauty. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer contributed by guest prayer blogger Brandi South:

Brandi South resides in Chambersburg, PA, with her husband, their daughter, and their two rescue cats. She is employed at Shippensburg University of PA and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree starting in the fall. Brandi is a member of Grand Point Church in Chambersburg where she enjoys serving on the First Impressions Team as a greeter. Some of her favorite scripture passages are Psalm 25 and Ephesians 2.

Prayer for Puerto Rico during aftermath of two earthquakes

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/6-5-quake-strikes-puerto-rico-amid-heavy-seismic-activity-n1111666
PC: Reuters RV

Lord, today we continue to pray for the people of Puerto Rico who have endured through so much. They have just experienced two significant earthquakes on back-to-back days. The devastation is widespread and overwhelming. Property and infrastructure have been damaged, and lives have been lost. These earthquakes have wreaked further havoc on an island that has still not fully recovered after Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit in 2017. Father, we beseech you to intervene. There have been 35 aftershocks – please make them stop. Keep the rocks from colliding and the volcanoes from erupting below the surface. Bring stillness to the land. Heal those who are injured and protect the people from further injury. Give them hope as they cry out to you for help. Grant wisdom to the Puerto Rican leaders and emergency personnel. Provide the necessary resources to sustain everyone. Implore your nations worldwide to lend their support. Father, we ask so much of you. We trust that you will work in mighty ways. Thank you for always being present and for your great compassion. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer contributed by guest prayer blogger Brandi South:

Brandi South resides in Chambersburg, PA, with her husband, their daughter, and their two rescue cats. She is employed at Shippensburg University of PA and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree starting in the fall. Brandi is a member of Grand Point Church in Chambersburg where she enjoys serving on the First Impressions Team as a greeter. Some of her favorite scripture passages are Psalm 25 and Ephesians 2.

Prayer about fatal stabbing near Paris, France

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50986028 PC: EPA

Heavenly Father, we are saddened to learn about the knife attack in Villejuif, France, that has claimed two lives. We mourn for the stabbing victim who died and for his wife who sustained serious injuries. We pray that you will heal her physical wounds. We pray also that she draws strength from you as she grieves the loss of her husband and processes through the trauma of the attack. Lord, we are grateful that the police intervened quickly and stopped the attacker from causing further harm. We are saddened that he lost his life as well. We pray for his family as they grieve and try to make sense of what happened. Father, in these moments we are reminded of our vulnerability and how the course of our lives can change in a matter of minutes. Help us to not be overcome by fear and instead to keep our eyes focused on you, knowing that you have already claimed the ultimate victory. In Jesus’ name, amen.  

Prayer contributed by guest prayer blogger Brandi South:

Brandi South resides in Chambersburg, PA, with her husband, their daughter, and their two rescue cats. She is employed at Shippensburg University of PA and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree starting in the fall. Brandi is a member of Grand Point Church in Chambersburg where she enjoys serving on the First Impressions Team as a greeter. Some of her favorite scripture passages are Psalm 25 and Ephesians 2.

Prayer about burgeoning religious freedom in Cambodia

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/december-web-only/cambodia-christian-prime-minister-bgea-rally-religious-free.html?fbclid=IwAR37q6wUAEL7z_LXwW9yluSBx2vNZEm-uk8264bZwJAoHFp1IKsWy5ePkFw

Lord God, we thank you for what is happening in Cambodia. It is deeply encouraging to see a nation with such an atrocious history make such progress in the area of religious freedom. From 80% of believers being martyred in the Killing Fields of the Pol Pot regime to current Prime Minister Hun Sen meeting with today’s Christian leaders to thank them for the value they add to Cambodia, we are amazed at the change. We rejoice that the prime minister acknowledged the church’s role in contributing to the peace and stability of the nation through promoting human dignity and unity, and that he committed to preserving religious freedom for Christians in this Buddhist nation. We pray that the government will remain true to this promise and continue recognizing your work through your church in Cambodia. We pray for the believers’ efforts to share the Gospel with others throughout the nation. May Cambodia become a place where your name is glorified and generations find hope and peace in you. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer about prison riot in Mexico

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/01/world/americas/mexico-prison-fight.html?auth=login-google&login=google

Lord, today we pray about the prison riot in Mexico’s Cieneguillas penitentiary where 16 male prisoners were killed. We are saddened by the violence and the loss of life, and we pray for the families of those who have died. Father, we thank you that the fight was brought under control after a grueling three hours. We praise you that it did not escalate further. We pray for the safety of the prison guards and for their ability to perform their duties effectively despite the overcrowding. We ask that you intervene and prevent weapons and contraband items from being smuggled in which further contribute to the violence. Lord, we do not know the circumstances that have led these men to prison, but we do pray that their time is beneficial and transformative. We ask that you meet each of these men where they are and fill their minds and hearts with your truth and love. Father, it is our desire that you bring healing and hope to Mexico. Guide their president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as he strives to combat the many issues that his country is facing. We pray for peace and strength in these difficult times, and we praise you for your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer contributed by guest prayer blogger Brandi South:

Brandi South resides in Chambersburg, PA, with her husband, their daughter, and their two rescue cats. She is employed at Shippensburg University of PA and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree starting in the fall. Brandi is a member of Grand Point Church in Chambersburg where she enjoys serving on the First Impressions Team as a greeter. Some of her favorite scripture passages are Psalm 25 and Ephesians 2.