Prayer For The Less Fortunate
Thanksgiving Day is a day to give God our thanks, and to be reminded of the Bounty of Blessings that is a part of our lives. It is important for us to remember that the word thanksgiving is composed of two words: thanks and giving. Through the holiday of Thanksgiving we are reminded to give thanks to God for all of our countless blessings and to be mindful of giving our time and talents with other people who could use our help.
The Sacred Heart Food Pantry of Bluefield served more than 125 families this past week. What a wonderful ministry for the many volunteers who are dedicated to give their time and generosities to distribute the food to those in need.
Thanksgiving is also a time for each of us to look at our own lives and appreciate the gifts God has given each of us. We tend to take the things we have for granted, forgetting that there are so many in the world who do not have the amazing gifts which have been bestowed upon us. In some countries it is a day to day struggle just to eat, let alone have a Thanksgiving feast. We need to be more mindful of those less fortunate and pray for God's blessings on all mankind.
When you sit down to your dinner on Thanksgiving Day, please add a prayer for those who are away from their loved ones on this special family day. Ask God to watch over those in the military who are protecting the freedoms that those early pilgrims started in this country.
Let each of us as we celebrate Thanksgiving pray to the Lord:
Heavenly Father, in this season of gratitude and abundance we give You thanks for our many blessings as we pray for all who struggle with hunger and want.
We pray for those of you who are traveling, may your travels be safe and know that we look forward to your safe arrival back home.
We pray that we, the holy church of God, extend a true spirit of welcome to all; and may those who gather today at the Lord's table be grateful and acknowledge all as gifts from God.
We pray for the homeless, the unloved and forgotten. May they come to know hope through our caring and our actions.
We pray for the souls of loved ones who have gone before us. May their memory live on in our hearts and may they rest in peace in the kingdom of heaven.
Be with those in the dark of night, when all hope seems lost. Keep their faith strong as they await relief and let Your goodness flow through our hearts and hands as we reach out to one another in the full, true joy of Thanksgiving in Christ.
In faith we pray to the Lord. Amen.
O GOD, Almighty and merciful, who heals those that are broken in heart, and turns the sadness of the sorrowful to joy; Let your fatherly goodness be upon all that you have made. Remember in pity those who are this day destitute, homeless, or forgotten by their fellow men. Bless the congregation of your poor. Uplift those who are cast down. For those who suffer innocently, I pray that you will sanctify their endurance of the wrongs worked on them, keeping their hearts free of bitterness. Cheer with hope all discouraged and unhappy people, and help those who are tempted into sin by their poverty; though they be troubled on every side, suffer them not to be distressed; though they be perplexed, save them from despair. Grant this, O Lord, for the love of him, who for our sakes endured poverty and blameless suffering, your Son, our Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Dear lord please let us pray for those less fortunate, lord i feel as if i need help but i feel there are people less fortunate than me, please pray for mary smith who lost her lovely husband last week please pray for those who are suffering as we speak, please pray for those who make the suffering. At some point in everybodys life everyone will need help please pray and give us all the strenght to go on and fight, dear lord i thank you for the beautiful gifts i have in my life my friends my family and i have begun to understand the hurt i have had in my life are all valuble lessons i will continue to carry on thank you lord for everything.
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, may justice flow like a river Reaching barren lands and sun scorched deserts Where people feel forgotten and hopeless Let your water of life Comfort them Where children lie abandoned or abused Let your water of life Protect them Where communities suffer at the hands of prejudice Let your water of life Shield them Lord, we ask for a mighty downpour from Heaven May your sons and daughters hear your voice May we live as you lead us to live Go as you bid us to go Serve as you inspire us to serve Give as you teach us to give Until the earth is covered with the glory of God As the waters cover the sea Amen
Lord God, You came to give honour to the least, those forgotten, overlooked and misjudged. You came to give first place to the last, those left behind, misunderstood and undervalued. You came to give a warm welcome to the lost, those who are orphaned, abandoned and destitute. Help us to be your ears to listen to their cries. Help us to be your voice speaking out love and acceptance. Help us to be your feet walking beside those in need. Help us to be your hands to clothe, feed and shelter them. You came for the least, the lost and last of this world. Lord, hear our prayer. Amen.
Lord, I know that you have given me so much. You provide a roof over my head. You provide me with an abundance of food on my table. I have friends and the opportunity to get an education. I have conveniences like computers, iPods, and iPads. You have blessed me in my life with so many things that I don't even know. How you keep me safe, how you protect those I love, how you give me an opportunity every single day to love you. I cannot express enough how grateful I am for these things. I do not know if I could handle any less, but I do know that you would be there beside me to give me strength just as you do now.
But 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.
And 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.
I ask you, Lord, to intervene in these cases. I know that you have a plan, and I don't know what that plan is or why these bad things happen, but you say that the poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven. I pray that you will find a place for those that live thier lives underprivileged and suffering. I also pray, Lord, that you always give me a heart for those who have less, so that I always feel a need to do your work here. I pray that I can life those up and touch lives that need me.
In Your name, Amen.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please hear the cries of Your children who are in desperate need and provide a the way and the light for them to find peace through the darkness of their difficult times. For those who are less fortunate, we know You are a loving God, and that for those who are seeking You out, please fill them with hope and grace and with Your Holy Spirit so they will never go hungry again.
Please let those of us who can to reach out a helping hand to the less fortunate souls, with the resources and energy to lift them up and feed them, both physically and spiritually.
We thank You for all that we have and pray in Jesus' Name,
Amen.