Prayer for the Homeless

Dear God,

I volunteered at a homeless shelter, today.  Thank you, Lord, for the grace and strength – I needed them because I’m so tired from my return trip to Korea.  Thank you, Holy Spirit, for giving me additional energy afterwards to run 2.5 miles.  I believe I will sleep well, tonight.

I found this lovely prayer for homeless people on another blog:

Hear our prayer today for all women and men, boys and girls who are homeless this day.

 

For those sleeping under bridges, on park benches, in doorways or bus stations.

 

For those who can only find shelter for the night but must wander in the daytime.

 

For families broken because they could not afford to pay the rent.

 

For those who have no relatives or friends who can take them in.

 

For those who have no place to keep possessions that remind them who they are.

 

For those who are afraid and hopeless.

 

For those who have been betrayed by our social safety net.

 

For all these people, we pray that you will provide shelter, security and hope.

 

We pray for those of us with warm houses and comfortable beds that we not be lulled into complacency and forgetfulness.  Jesus, help us to see your face in the eyes of every homeless person we meet so that we may be empowered through word and deed, and through the political means we have, to bring justice and peace to those who are homeless.  Amen.

I found another beautiful prayer from this blog:

Bless the homeless, this day and everyday, keep them from physical and emotional harm, fill their hearts with hope for the future and for today, comfort the homeless as they walk their difficult paths. May I know that anyone, even me, can be homeless.

Bless the homeless with enough food to sustain them, with enough warmth to shield them from the elements, with the power to wrestle personal demons and win, with the will to go on, and build their lives again.

May hope touch each homeless heart, spirit and life, let the kindness of others bring lasting benefits, bring freedom from addiction, illness and misery, open their humanity to include & embrace themselves.

Bless the homeless with self acceptance and love, spark their imaginations with belief in the future, bringing the possibility of a better life, a safer life and a more secure life.

God, thank you for the opportunity to be charitable to others.  Bless the other volunteers who were there tonight, and bless the people who work at the homeless shelter.  Bless the 350 beds that are available these men without a home.  Bless the people who provided the money to make this possible.

I humbly pray, through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.