6 Ways to Pray for Texas

Psalm 102:1-2

Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.

In the face of historic devastation in the middle of the heart land, Hurricane Harvey has affected one quarter of the population of Texas – 6.8 million people in 18 counties. 30,000 are in shelters. As of this writing, water is waist deep with 30 inches of rain on the ground – with 25 inches more rain forecasted to fall.

Half a country away, I feel helpless to help.

But as I watched Franklin Graham on Fox and Friends this morning, he encouraged viewers to pray. He said that right now, the greatest way to help, is to pray.

In such overwhelming circumstances, how do you pray? My team and I came up with six practical ways.

Pray for God to diminish the storm and blow it out of Texas.
Pray for people to make wise choices.
- That they would be able to get to higher ground.
- God would protect the elderly, those in distress, and to those who can’t help themselves until help arrives.
- For God’s Presence, protection and provision in the coming days.
- Psalm 57:1, “Have mercy on me, O God… I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”
Pray for the police, fire and rescue workers:
- For their safety.
- That God would lead them to the people who may be hidden and are in dire need.
- Let us not forget: they are leaving their families to help others – Pray that God would protect and provide for their loved ones in their absence.
- Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…”
Pray for wisdom for our government –
- For local, state and federal decision makers.
  - to know where the greatest needs are
  - to send resources quickly without glitch in getting to the people
  - for this to not become a political battle
Pray for Christian organizations’ provisions to rally and come to the aid where help is needed most.
Pray that God would use this horrible disaster to wake people to the reality of God.
- That people, not only in Texas, but all over the country would turn to the One True God
- Repent of their sin and place their faith in Jesus.
- That God would use this to heal the racial and political divisions and silence the stirrers of such division.