A Prayer for the Homeless and Vulnerable during the Winter Season
By: Amanda Idleman
Bible Reading: “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” - Matthew 25:40
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God assesses our love for him by how we love the vulnerable. Just let that sink in for a moment. I believe that for most of us, if we let that truth permeate our hearts, it would completely upend how we live our lives. We just celebrated the holiday season and gave thanks for the birth of Jesus. What we need to remember most is how fearlessly and relentlessly the God incarnate cared for the hurting, vulnerable, and lost.
Let us follow the example of Jesus and find out how we can be a part of showing compassion and care for those in need. Our first step is sincere prayer to ask God how we can be used in his Kingdom as an agent who brings Heaven down!
My husband and I took time to pray this prayer as a couple about five years ago, probably all while feeling a little skeptical that God would answer. We were doing good work as a believing family. Raising our three biological kids, homeschooling, and we even had chickens! We had no idea how we could change our lives to follow this command Jesus gives to care for the least of these.
God is faithful and he answered our prayers, just as I am sure he will answer yours if you in earnest seek how to be a radical lover of others as Jesus was. He brought us to a foster care information meeting and his Spirit met me and my husband as we listened to basic information about how to be licensed. We left feeling that this was the work God was calling our family to. Fast forward many miracles and years later, God has added two children to our home through foster care and adoption. I know our work is not done, but we are now more confident than ever that God’s heart is for the vulnerable.
Our prayer for those who are in need starts with asking God how we can be used in this great work to bring light here on Earth that pierces the darkness. Next, we ask him to do what only he can do for those who are stuck, lost, in need, and suffering. There are so many details in our journey as foster parents that are total ‘God moments.’ Nothing other than a sovereign loving God could have put together the pieces of our stories in such a way.
God is at work every day, bringing hope to the hopeless. He is a healer, redeemer, and a lover of his Creation. This power is activated through prayer! Let’s pray that God ends systemic injustices that prevent generational dysfunction from ending. Let’s pray against the evil powers of addiction that breaks apart families and steals lives. We can pray against mental illness that leads people away from safety and community. We can pray against apathy that stops those who can from doing.
The key is to start praying for the homeless, vulnerable, and more. As we pray God starts to work. He changes us and uses us. God is also great enough to break evils that hold the lost in darkness.
Let’s Pray:
God, we thank you that loving others is not only a choice as Christ followers it’s a command. You command us to love beyond what is reasonable. Let us be obedient in following your words and Jesus' example as he cared for the suffering while on Earth. Show us how to join in your Kingdom's work of caring for those who are vulnerable. God, we also ask that you do what only you can do! Break the chains of injustice, racism, violence, addiction, mental illness, and more. Bring healing and hope to those who are lost. Restore families, end unhealthy cycles, bring light to the darkness that is all around us! We need you. You are great and able to do more than we could think, ask or imagine! Amen.
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