A Prayer for Our Military

Lord, tonight there are men and women awake in places most of us cannot find on a map, standing watch so that others can sleep. Be near every one of them.

Guard them in the air, at sea, and on the ground. Steady their hands and clear their minds when the moment asks everything of them. Give their leaders wisdom and sound judgment, and let good decisions travel all the way down the line. Where they are weary, renew them. Where they are afraid and cannot say so, be their courage.

And Lord, remember the ones who wait at home — the spouse who checks the phone too often, the child who counts the days on a calendar, the parents who pray at the kitchen table. Waiting is its own kind of service. Hold those families together across the distance, and bring reunions that come whole and come soon.

Comfort those who serve carrying wounds we cannot see. Surround our veterans with gratitude that outlasts a holiday. And hasten the day, Lord, when nations learn war no more.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this when someone you love wears the uniform — at a deployment send-off, on a quiet night mid-tour, or on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It also fits any Sunday when your church prays for those who serve. Pray it by name if you can.

A Verse to Hold On To

"Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." — Joshua 1:9 (KJV)