For the Refugee and Immigrant

Heavenly Father, You call us to live justly and to love mercy. But we confess that we are prone to show justice and mercy to those who, we deem, are like us. The Good Samaritan showed compassion and mercy to the traveler, someone unlike himself.  Help us, also, to broaden our understanding of who is our neighbor to include the refugee and the immigrant. Amen.

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Almighty God, Creator and Preserver of all life. You called Your servant, Abraham, from his home into a new land. You led Your chosen people out of slavery into Your promised land.  And, You hallowed the refugee when You sent Your Son into Egypt to escape Herod’s persecution. In all these circumstances You did not cease to care for the refugee but opened a new life to all those whom you called.  

We pray for those who are refugees and/or immigrants at this time.  We lift up those who have been forced to leave their homes due to war, persecution, a lack of resources to sustain them, and/or ecological degradation.  

Their path to a new home is filled with danger, uncertainty, legal hurdles and most often a new language. Many times, family members are separated from one another and have to fend for themselves.

As the man traveling from Jerusalem was ministered to by the Good Samaritan we thank You for those providing food, shelter, support and friendship for the refugee and immigrant. We also thank You for legal aid clinics, again lifting up those who minister through their knowledge of legal matters. Give them wisdom, compassion and understanding, working through them to bring about Your justice and mercy for all; we pray in Jesus’ powerful name. Amen.