Prayers to End Hunger: A Prayer for Budget Negotiations

This is part of Bread for the World’s Prayers to End Hunger email that guides Bread’s community in praying for the end of hunger. If you’d like to receive these prayers, we invite you to sign up here. 

In light of the budget negotiations currently underway in Congress, we are inviting you—our full community—to pause and pray with us. Within this budget, there is money allocated to life-giving priorities Bread for the World and its members have advocated for tirelessly over the past year, including humanitarian assistance, foreign aid, and global health and nutrition. While understanding the role of law enforcement, there is also grave and legitimate concern about additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security in light of overzealous ICE activity in Minneapolis and beyond. 

In this moment, we look to God for wisdom, comfort, protection, and love to guide our way forward. 

Thank you for praying with us, 

Rev. Eugene Cho 

President and CEO 

— 

O God, 

 

It is with heavy hearts that we call on Your name  

today. Our elected leaders face difficult choices 

about how to prioritize the needs of vulnerable communities. 

We know, O God, that You are not partial.  

You love all Your children in this world and  

You long for the thriving of them all. You call on us,  

Your people, to take care of one another.

 

O God, we pray for those who are hungry—holed up  

In their homes, scared. We pray for those who have lost friends 

and family members to hunger, violence, and detention.

  

We pray for communities of worship who face disruption 

to their services and to their communities,  

as they discern how to respond in this moment.

 

We pray for those who face hunger due to cuts to  

international aid. We pray that funding emergency aid,  

health, and global nutrition programs will be restored.

  

We pray for our elected leaders who face hard choices 

about funding the government. And we pray they will  

act with scalpels of grace instead of chainsaws of injustice.  

Give them the courage to put hungry and vulnerable people first— 

hungry people who are our neighbors near and far.

  

We pray that You would use our voices to glorify You,  

in our advocacy, and as we communicate with our neighbors— 

that we might grow understanding in these relationships.

  

We pray that You would fill the peacemakers in our midst 

with Your perfect wisdom, even as You guide us all 

on the path of peace, love, and justice.

 

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers.  

In Jesus’ name we pray,  

Amen