WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” —Ephesians 6:18
Prayer Focus: Malawi—Beginning with Tropical Cyclone Ana in January 2022, and made far worse by Tropical Cyclone Freddy this year, high winds and historic flooding have caused hundreds of casualties and massive devastation in communities that were already vulnerable to the storms. Homes, roads, and other infrastructures, churches, sanitation systems, and agriculture have been greatly damaged and destroyed. Over half a million people, including thousands in our Church of God family, are displaced from their homes and sheltering in temporary displacement camps. Emergency relief and basic supplies have been provided to thousands of Church of God families for shelter, emergency nutrition, and sanitation services. Additional funds will be needed to support long-term reconstruction of numerous Church of God buildings and the restoration of agriculture and communities.
Prayer Starter: Heavenly Father, what a privilege it is to approach your throne of grace in prayer! Thank you for the opportunity extended to us to be priests and intercessors, to pray for one another and believe that you will accomplish what concerns us today. Today, the declining situation on the ground in Malawi concerns us greatly. We grieve with our sisters and brothers in this part of the world, though our souls are soothed by the ever-present awareness that you are not surprised, nor caught off-guard by the terrible developments there. Thank you for the work that you’re already doing there. Thank you for the work that you will continue to do on behalf of your people. We ask for your merciful and mighty hand to connect those in need with those who have the power to meet the need. We plead with you to act swiftly and deliberately on behalf of your church in bringing relief in both tangible and intangible ways. We pray for families split apart by the merciless hand of death; may every widow, widower, orphan, and grieving loved one feel your divine comfort. We pray for safety, health, and hope of everyone providing and receiving the relief efforts. We thank you in advance for your generous response to our petitions today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
*To financially come alongside the local church in response to these disasters, and others, donations can be made to Church of God Ministries Disaster Relief. 100 percent of your donation goes to assist Church of God communities affected by, and responding to, disasters globally. For a complete list and more thorough explanation of ongoing disaster response coordinated through Church of God Ministries, visit https://www.jesusisthesubject.org/current-disaster-responses .
All Scripture excerpted from the New International Version unless otherwise indicated.