Almighty God, Whose Spirit hovers over the waters of chaos, and Whose Son stilled the stormy sea, we humbly come before You, crying out for the sake of our people whose lives and properties have been devastated by the recent hurricane. The damage and destruction is unbelievable; the vulnerability and fears of our brothers and sisters is unimaginable. Small towns and villages have been wrecked and washed away by unrelenting torrents; roads, paths, bridges, and trails have been obliterated. We are staggered and stunned by the scenes we have watched; we feel helpless and hopeless for the mountain folks who have lost everything.
Gracious Lord, we pray for the first responders and rescuers, for the linesmen and companies that are beginning the long process of repair and renewal. It will take years to accomplish and billions of dollars to pay for the damage and rebuilding. Grant us the patience, resolve, and resources to do all that we can to restore our devastated communities.
We pray for the families who have lost loved ones. We ask that you surround and support them with people who will care for, help, and sustain them. For those whose grief will always be with them, we pray for comfort; for those whose losses will never be regained, we pray for peace and love. For those congregations whose churches have been destroyed or whose fellowship has been broken, we pray for Your Spirit to be dear and near to them. And to those of us on this side of the damage and destruction, with little impact of the hurricane, grant us charitable hearts to financially support the places and people who have both urgent and long-term needs. Hear us now as we silently pray for those who cannot pray for themselves.
In Christ’s Name, we make these heartfelt and sincere prayers. Amen.
Stushie Art 