Prayers for Our Homeless Neighbors

By
Corrie Mitchell

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
When you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

Isaiah 58:7

In recent years, homelessness in New York City has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression. Each night, thousands of unsheltered homeless people sleep on New York City streets, in the subway system, and in other public spaces, the large majority of whom are people living with mental illness or other severe health problems.

More than 60,000 homeless New Yorkers slept in the NYC municipal shelter system each night last year, with families making up more than three-quarters of the homeless shelter population. African American and Latino New Yorkers are disproportionately affected by homelessness, with the primary cause of homelessness, particularly among families, being a lack of affordable housing.

Let us join together in lifting up our neighbors who are without shelter to our God who is able to intimately identify with our homeless brothers and sisters. As we trust that He is working to restore His creation, we cry out on their behalf. Lift your voices up with us as we pray: 

  • for all the men, women, and children who have no place to call home. Pray they find shelter and access to adequate food and health care. 

    Lord, we ask that you would provide tangibly in the way of shelter, food, and other necessities of life for all in this city who are struggling. We ask that these neighbors of ours would ultimately find their rest in You, Lord, and we thank You that You are our refuge in times of trouble.
     
  • for the removal of any physical or emotional barriers homeless individuals face in finding a stable home or job.

    Father, we pray for the healing of any physical or emotional ailments that may be hindering people in our city from getting or keeping a job and/or a place to call home. Would you free them of those barriers, making the way for them to experience fullness of life in and with You.
     
  • that men and women experiencing homelessness would find shelter where they would feel known and loved and establish dignity—and ultimately would learn that their identity is secure in Christ.

    Jesus, we pray that our homeless neighbors would know that you are an intimate, personal God who not only cares deeply for them, but also identifies with their pain. Would that truth comfort and bring security knowing that You have prepared a place for them in the Father’s house.
     
  • for the following organizations as they serve homeless men and women on a daily basis: St. Paul’s House, Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, Don’t Walk By, MAPC-SJ Shelter, All Angels’ Church, Back on My Feet, Bowery Mission Medical, Isaiah 58, The Inner City Ministry of CRU, and Habitat for Humanity. Pray that they would receive the necessary funding, staffing, and volunteers to serve homeless communities well.

    God, we thank you for the men and women across the city who’ve taken seriously your call to provide for the homeless in very practical ways. We ask that You would move in the hearts of Your children to resource these organizations and encourage all involved in this Kingdom work.