Father, you are the God of all comfort and I pray you would comfort the wives whose husbands died this week in the helicopter crash and in combat; pour out your compassion and comfort to the children who lost their Daddys, the moms and dads who grieve for their sons. You promised that you would comfort those who mourn, so we can ask you with confidence to enfold these precious families in your loving arms and sustain them in their grief.
(2 Corinthians 1:3, Matthew 5:4)

Psalm 121

Lord, I pray that you wouldn’t allow my son (brother, husband)’s foot to be moved. Thank you that you do not slumber or sleep, that even in the night you watch over him and all of his battalion and our troops. Be their keeper, the shade at their right hand. And may they rest in the shelter of your wings (Psalm 61:4) and awaken with new strength.

Lord, you are the Host of heaven, the King of glory, the head of all the armies and angels. Please send out your angels and chariots of fire to hedge my son and all of our troops in so that no weapon formed against them would prosper. Cover him with the shelter of your wings and keep him as the apple of your eye. Prepare the way before him and cause him and all our soldiers to be so spiritually alert that they will hear a word behind them saying, “This is the way; walk in it” when you guide them.

This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses never cease, for His mercy and compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. (Lam.3:21-23)

Lord, you said that your mercies are new every morning. May your mercy be new, freshly experienced when our service men and women get up this morning! May your mercy, lovingkindness, and compassion rain down from heaven upon them. Lord, if they are tired, energize them with your Spirit. If they are discouraged, be their encourager. Let them see your faithfulness each day.

Psalm 44:3b

“It was by your mighty power that they succeeded. It was because you
favored them and shined on them.” Lord, may my son (husband, daughter) succeed in his mission because of Your mighty power. May their whole mission succeed because of Your mighty power and because you favored them and shined upon them.

2 Corinthians 4:2b, 4-5

Lord, I pray the chaplains will teach the truth and share the Good News, that they wouldn’t preach about themselves but preach Christ Jesus, the Lord—not in fancy words but in the power of Your Spirit. And as they do, may you take the blinders off the minds of those who haven’t believed so they can see the glorious light of the Good News shining upon them—and many soldiers and Iraqis and families would come out of darkness into Your marvelous light.