World Prayer Today

Praying for the uprooted

“Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” -Matthew 25:34-40

Jesus was no stranger to the lost and displaced … in fact He Himself was a refugee of sorts when His family sought safety in Egypt when Herod wanted to kill Jesus as a child. Today more than 100 million people worldwide are forced to leave their homes and face unknown futures in foreign countries. More than 300,000 refugees live in Sweden. The three largest immigrant groups are Syrians, Ukrainians, and Afghans.

Today as God’s Word goes out in Sweden (and around the world), pray those who hear it answer His call to tangibly love those who are uprooted and long to return home:

Father, thank You that no one is a stranger to You, and we are never far from Your loving care. In Your kindness watch over refugees and asylum seekers, those separated from their loved ones, those who are lost, and those who have been exiled from their homes. Bring them safely to the place where they long to be, and help us always to show Your kindness to strangers and those in need. Help each of us to extend a hand of mercy to them just as You have to us. In these small moments, may Your face be seen and Your name glorified. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Good things happen when we share God’s Word. Come along next time as we pray in Micronesia.