Prayer for Hurting, Hungry, and Vulnerable
God of grace and mercy,
We believe, as the Holy Scriptures declare, that every human being is fearfully and wonderfully made; Every person is deserving of worth and dignity because each of us is created in Your wondrous image.
It’s for this reason that we come to You in fervent and collective prayer for the hurting, hungry, and vulnerable – in our families, churches, and neighborhoods. In our cities, country, and around the world.
We grieve and lament the thousands – here and abroad – that have lost their lives due to COVID-19. Even now, we pray for those who are fighting for their health as they battle this virus.
We pray for the nearly 30 million people in our country – including 14 million children – that don’t have enough food to eat.
We pray for Black and Brown communities, which are already suffering most from both COVID-19 and its economic impacts because of systemic racism and economic inequality.
We pray for rural communities that know hunger and poverty all too well and wonder if many have forgotten their stories and struggles.
We pray for the millions that are currently unemployed, living in fear and anxiety about their future, and unsure about how to keep food on their tables, a roof over their heads, and the lights turned on.
Lord, we also pray for our global neighbors because Your love, mercy, and grace know no boundaries. And so, we mourn and pray for Yemen, for the city of Beirut and country of Lebanon, and for the 70+ million refugees around the world.
We lament and pray for the millions around the world who struggle with hunger and malnutrition including the additional 10,000 children at risk of dying each month.
Lord, remind us that these are not merely numbers and statistics. Rather, convict us again that each person is created in Your image – deserving of worth and dignity.
Yes, Lord, give us deep empathy, moral clarity, and persistent courage. Help us to stay present, be prayerful, and compelled to action – to be active participants in Your Kingdom here on this earth.
May the presence and power of the Holy Spirit convict us to put our faith into action. Strengthen each of us to speak up for those whose voices are not heard, and their plights ignored. May we be a people marked by justice, mercy, and humility.
Lord, we also pray for our respective lawmakers. Oh, Holy Spirit, move and stir their hearts. Awaken them with Your righteousness and mercy so that rather than partisan politics, they would foremost prioritize the humanity and reality of the hungry, poor, and vulnerable in our nation and around the world.
Yes, Lord. May the presence and power of the Holy Spirit convict all of us to put our faith into action.
In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
Election Resources
One of the best times to raise the issues of hunger and poverty is during election campaigns. Engage candidates in your state/district on hunger and poverty using our elections resources.U.S. Hunger and Poverty State Fact Sheets
These fact sheets provide a snapshot of hunger and poverty in the United States and in each state plus Washington, D.C.
Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Global Pandemic, Better Nutrition Protects Lives
With the coronavirus now spreading in low-resource contexts and new waves of infection expected in the coming year, better nutrition for vulnerable people is more important than ever.
For Faith
Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border: A Bilingual Latino Devotional
Devotional writers challenge us to feel the Spirit of God within us and to hear God’s urgent call to demand justice so all can put food on the table.The Bible on Health as a Hunger Issue
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in faith.” These words from Colossians 2:6 remind us of the faith that is active in love for our neighbors.
The Bible on...
Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
Dear Members of Congress,
As the president and Congress are preparing their plans for this year, almost 100 church leaders—from all the families of U.S. Christianity—are...
For Advocacy
Fact Sheet: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to respond to changes in need, making it well suited to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fact Sheet: Why We Need $200 Million for Global Nutrition Programs
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $200 million for global nutrition in the fiscal year 2020 budget.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.