7 Prayers for People Who Need Help in the Nepal Flooding
Prayer
Audio By Carbonatix
By Whitney Hopler, Crosswalk.com
The beautiful country of Nepal is suffering through a terrible crisis. Catastrophic flash floods and heavy mudslides in Nepal, near the border with China, have swept through mountain valleys and destroyed whole communities. Hundreds of people have been killed so far, and current reports estimate that nearly 1,500 people are missing – including local residents and tourists from more than 30 countries around the world. Families have lost everything they own, leaving many children and adults stranded without clean water, food, or a safe place to sleep. There’s also the danger that new floods may happen, since a lake created by the previous floods may overflow.
As Christians living in the United States, we may be thousands of miles away, but we’re connected to the people in Nepal through God’s love. The apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:4 that we should live “not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” When people in God’s global family with us suffer across the world, God calls us to open our hearts and care for their needs as we can. One of the greatest ways we can care for others is through intercessory prayer. In 1 Timothy 2:1, the Bible says: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people...”. Bringing people who are in need before God is one of our most important privileges. We know that our prayers carry great power because the Bible promises us in James 5:16 that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
When we pray for people in need, God hears every word and responds with compassion. Here are 7 prayers you can use to pray for people who need help in the Nepal flooding:
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1. A Prayer for Safety and Survival
Dear God, please help every person who’s caught in the middle of this disaster area. The rushing water and mud are strong, but you’re even stronger. Protect everyone in the path of the floodwaters and mudslides while the area is unstable. Please command your holy angels to surround those who are trapped or stranded on rooftops and hillsides. Psalm 91 promises that you will command your angels concerning us to guard us in all our ways. God, ask your angels to hold up anyone who needs to be led to safety and guide them to dry and stable ground. Preserve their lives and keep them from harm until help arrives. Thank you; amen.
2. A Prayer for Rescue Workers and First Responders
Dear God, please help the heroic rescue workers, soldiers, police officers, and local volunteers in Nepal who are rushing into danger to save others. Give them endurance, physical strength, and focus as they work through heavily damaged areas in the steep Himalayan mountain area. Assign your holy angels to work alongside the rescuers. Direct the rescue workers and first responders to the specific places where missing people are waiting to be found. Protect the rescue workers from harm as they work on unstable ground. Give them wisdom to make wise decisions quickly. Supply them with the boats, helicopters, and equipment they need to rescue as many lives as possible. Thank you; amen.
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3. A Prayer for Shelter, Food, and Clean Water
Dear God, you see all the needs in Nepal right now – including how many families have lost their homes and belongings and how many people are hungry, cold, and thirsty. Please make a way for emergency food, clean drinking water, dry clothes, and warm blankets to reach these displaced families quickly. Send caring people to help protect communities from disease, contamination, and illness caused by dirty water. Open up roads that have been blocked by landslides so that supply trucks can get through. Bless the relief agencies and humanitarian groups on the ground, and help them distribute aid fairly and quickly so that no one is left behind or forgotten. Thank you; amen.
4. A Prayer for Medical Care and Healing for the Injured
Dear God, you heal people in all sorts of ways – spiritually, mentally, and physically. Please bring healing to the people in Nepal who have been hurt and traumatized in this disaster. All of them need to heal from trauma, and many are also suffering physical pain from wounds, broken bones, and exposure to dirty water and mud. Medical clinics are overwhelmed with patients, and many hospitals are struggling without electricity or supplies. Please pour out your healing power on every person who’s in pain. Touch their souls and bodies to bring them hope and restore their strength. Give your wisdom to the medical teams in Nepal, and help them treat every patient well. Make sure they have all the medicine, clean bandages, and emergency equipment they need to help everyone who has been injured. Thank you; amen.
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5. A Prayer for Comfort for Those Who Are Grieving
Dear God, you’re close to brokenhearted people who are going through grief. Please comfort the family members and friends of the people who have passed away suddenly in Nepal because of these floods. The pain of losing a loved one so quickly and unexpectedly can be overwhelming. Please send your Holy Spirit to bring your peace that’s greater than all human understanding into people’s broken hearts. Send your holy angels to comfort grieving people. Surround the grieving with caring believers who can be with them in their sadness and help them feel God’s love for them. Please send all the grieving people in Nepal the hope they need. Thank you; amen.
6. A Prayer for Especially Vulnerable People
Dear God, please help the most vulnerable people in Nepal right now. So many young children are afraid and separated from their families. Many elderly people and disabled people can’t easily move to safety on their own. Please give your special protection to every child, senior citizen, and person with special needs during this chaotic time. Send your angels to watch over orphaned and lost children, to keep them safe from harm and exploitation. Guide compassionate adults to find them and bring them the security and encouragement they need. Please let all the vulnerable people in Nepal feel your love for them. Thank you; amen.
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7. A Prayer for Hope and Help Rebuilding
Dear God, you can do anything – including restoring the tremendous damage that’s been done in Nepal. Looking at the tremendous damage to the areas in Nepal that have been hit with the flooding and mudslides, the situation can seem hopeless. But there’s always hope for the future with you. Please shine your light into the darkness of this disaster and give the people in Nepal the courage and faith to rebuild their communities and their lives. Clear the way for recovery work and bring peace over the land. Motivate people all around the world to give generously to support Nepal’s long-term rebuilding. May the people in Nepal who’ve survived this disaster feel your love through all the help they get from you, through the kindness of caring people who are part of your global family. Thank you; amen.
Even though we’re far away, our prayers for the people who need help in the Nepal flooding make a positive difference in the lives of those who are suffering there. Let’s continue to keep the victims, the survivors, those who are helping, those who are grieving, and the local communities in our daily prayers. As we trust in God’s caring and powerful help, we can all be a part of God’s work, bringing restoration and hope out of this tragedy.
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