Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for America’s Military
The Government Accountability Office has found that the majority of U.S. Armed Forces members get less than the Defense Department’s minimum recommended number of hours of sleep per night. The GAO report stated, “When service members don’t get enough sleep, it can affect their performance. Fatigue has led to fatal accidents and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to ships, vehicles, and aircraft.” The agency provided nine recommendations to address the issue.
Pray for U.S. military leaders and officials as they consider the dangers of sleep deficiency for U.S. troops.
PRAY FOR AN END TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE
The U.S. Congress approved aid to Ukraine in the most recent government funding legislation. Pentagon spokesperson Major Charlie Dietz said, “For Ukraine, this supplemental is vital — there’s no other way to meet Ukraine’s needs at scale.”
Pray for wisdom for U.S. governing officials as they weigh the needs of Ukraine against America’s rising national debt.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
The U.S. abstained from voting against a UN Security Council resolution calling for an unconditional cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war for the last two weeks of Ramadan. This move allowed the resolution to pass. Prime Minister Netanyahu, delivering on his promise to call off the planned meeting with President Biden if the U.S. did not veto the measure, canceled the Israeli delegation’s scheduled visit to Washington.
Pray for the Lord to guide U.S. officials as they make decisions regarding Israel and its enemies. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and wisdom for Israeli leaders.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
The end of the COVID-19 health emergency has led to the disenrollment of over 18 million people from Medicaid. Eligibility determinations for roughly 35 million have either not been completed or reported. States must redetermine eligibility for those previously covered as they process new applications.
Pray for federal and state officials as they untangle Medicaid eligibility and coverage requirements in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
The National Pawnbrokers Association reports that pawnshop inventories have increased, and balances across the nation have risen in the past two years. While the average loan would generally last one to three months, customers are more often pawning items and not coming back to reclaim them. A spokesperson for the association attributes the trend to “cost-of-living increases, the lack of access to credit, [and] short-term emergencies,” which half of American households cannot cover due to a lack of savings.
Pray for U.S. economic officials and advisors as they evaluate the impact of policies on the American household. Pray for U.S. citizens and residents as they seek to make ends meet.
Pray for Needs Across the States
The Missouri House of Representatives passed legislation that would prohibit colleges and universities from discriminating against religious student groups. The bill’s sponsor said, “Students should not have to retain legal counsel in order to protect their First Amendment rights.“
The attorney general of California announced another recall effort of Governor Gavin Newsom. The reasons provided for the launch of the signature gathering include increasing homelessness, rising crime rates, high taxes and a budget deficit, and immigration issues.
Pray for the governing officials of the states as they address issues that are of particular concern to their residents.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“From the side of God, there is only one covenant and it is articulated in [Jeremiah 31] v. 33 of our passage: ‘I will be your God; and you will be my people.’ That is the primal covenant that goes back to Genesis when God creates humanity. ‘I will be your God; and you will be my people.’ It is a covenant grounded in freedom, the freedom of God and the freedom of humanity, it is a covenant grounded in love, and it is a covenant grounded in relationship. It is a covenant grounded in a promise and also a telos, a goal, a future. One way or another, ‘I will be your God.’ And one way or another ‘you will be my people.’ Just remember this promise was made to people in the midst of severe trauma, loss, and adverse experiences. Their homeland had been defeated and overrun by invaders. … No matter who you are, where you are on this pilgrimage of faith, and what lies behind you or ahead of you, the God of Israel makes this overarching promise that ‘I will be your God, and you will be my people.’ God does not ignore the trauma, God enters into the trauma. And in the midst of it all, still sees human beings worthy of love, exiles who still have a homeland, pilgrims who still have a destination and a future.“ – Pastor Chris Currie, St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, March 2024
