How to pray for the homeless this month

By
Hope for New York

In preparation for our Don't Walk By outreach during the month of February, here are 5 ways you can join us in prayer for our homeless neighbors this month.

 

1. Pray for friendship and hope

  • Pray that individuals without a support network can connect with people who will be there for them - people to encourage them and build them up.
  • Pray that those who think they are insignificant can know that God loves them through the message of the gospel. 

"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

 

2. Pray for sustenance and rehabilitation

  • Pray that those without a home during the storm would have access to practical resources, such as warm and safe shelter, hygiene services, nutritious food and clothing.
  • Also pray for homeless people to be willing and able to connect with long-term rehabilitation programs, social workers, job skills programs, mental health care and access to permanent housing.
  • Pray that the city's leaders would respond wisely to the challenges that the storm brings; that they would take special care to prioritize the needs of those who are most vulnerable.
  • Pray for our affiliate staff who are serving the homeless during the storm and operating 24/7 emergency shelters, that God would grant them energy and compassion to continue their work.

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; [...] for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me." Matthew 25:34

 

3. Pray for spiritual renewal

  • Pray that those experiencing loneliness or hopelessness would find spiritual renewal through a relationship with God the Father; that their hearts would receive comfort from God in a tangible and real way.
  • Also pray that they would experience God's kindness and care throughout the day to remind them that they are not forgotten and that they are deeply loved by their Father in heaven.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us: that we should be called God’s children—and indeed we are!" 1 John 3:1

 

4. Pray for children who are homeless

  • Pray for children experiencing homelessness, that God would protect and provide for them as they live in challenging conditions. Pray that He would strengthen their families and show his special favor and love to them in the small, everyday things.
  • Pray for the parents in these vulnerable families; that they would make wise decisions and be able to provide both practically and emotionally for their children.
  • May God give them hope for their future and faith that He is with them always.

“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven." Matthew 18:10

 

5. Pray for organizations serving the homeless

  • Pray for HFNY affiliates that are serving the homeless population day-in and day-out do not get weary, but rather press on with their efforts to meet the needs of the children of God.
  • Pray also that the needs of these organizations would be met; that they would have enough volunteers and staff to help run their programs, as well as the financial resources to continue the work they are doing. May God's favor be on them, and may they flourish as they continue to do the work of God.
  • Join us in praying for Don't Walk By, our annual outreach to the homeless. Pray for the volunteers and staff to approach people graciously and compassionately, and that those they encounter would connect to the resources they need.
  • We pray also for ourselves - that God would stir up in our hearts a call to compassion, a call to action, and a call to see the homeless as the children of God that they are. May we enter into the circumstances of our homeless neighbors, and begin to more deeply understand their struggles and pain. 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, and that the oppressed will be set free." Luke 4:18