Once crimson poppies bloomed out in a foreign field,
each memory reminds where brutal death was sealed.
The crimson petals flutter down,
still hatred forms a thorny crown.
– Stanza 1, Remembrance
Wise and compassionate God, you know as well as we do that the wounds of war are slow to heal, and sadly, some wounds continue to fester long after silence comes to the battlefield.
Our veterans are not the only ones feeling and living with the pain of violence and conflict. Too many of our friends and family members limp and stumble along bearing the pain of shrapnel that tore into their flesh amid life’s many skirmishes with evil and brokenness.
And so, now, we not only lift up our veterans in prayer, but we also lift up the other wounded warriors of our day – those people whose days are filled with frightening flashbacks, those people whose night’s sleep is waterlogged in cold sweat.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers for those most on our hearts this day …
We pray for understanding. Help us truly hear and appreciate the stories of life’s veterans. Open our minds and hearts to the isolation many of them feel, even though they are surrounded with familiar faces every day. Remind them often that while their friends and neighbors may never fully understand, you do understand and can identify with them in everything.
We pray for healing. You know how deep the wounds of life’s battles go. You know the loss that many of our veterans and others feel in body and soul. You know the memories that haunt them and the scars that many of them continue to carry. Please bring healing to them and to all who are hurting. Grant patience and compassion to those around them who cannot understand but can sometimes help the healing.
Almighty God, you know each of us by name. You know our deeds, our hard work, and our perseverance. You know our needs, both material and spiritual. Please draw each of us closer to you and grant us all the peace that passes understanding. May the peace of Christ rule in our hearts forevermore.
Lord, in your mercy, hear about prayers …