Coronavirus Prayer Guide

Coronavirus Prayer Guide

Let us pray about the short-term and long-term impacts of the coronavirus (the technical name is covid-19). Let us pray earnestly for family members, friends, and many others worldwide. Let us pray for others like we would want them to pray for us.  

As a retired person, I have had more time to research and ponder this matter than those who must juggle family responsibilities, careers, and other demands on their time. 

The following is a simple summary of important matters related to the coronavirus. This goes far beyond personal health concerns. There are many other considerations. Each of these considerations can serve as fuel for your faith-filled prayers. This takes the long term and big picture perspective that the media ignores. 

It is my conviction that it is better to know the full truth as soon as possible. Then thoughts, feelings, prayers, plans, and actions can be adjusted to conform to reality. This is better than knowing part of the truth and a mixture of pleasant lies. That comfortable but toxic mix can lead to faulty thinking, false hope, poor planning, missed opportunities, and wasted efforts.    

My intention here is to offer you my best thinking about these complicated matters. Then I hope you will convert this raw material into your earnest prayers. As you pray in faith God will answer your prayers and the prayers of others. Together we will make this world a better place and we will glorify God. That is my agenda. 

I do not seek to sell you anything. I am not requesting donations. I do not seek to use sensationalism or fear to get you overly excited. I do not have a bias to make the president seem like an angel or a devil.  

I just want you to have access to my simple summary of the facts and my analysis. I hope that the Holy Spirit will use this to guide you into praying better.

We have been blessed as Christians to have a personal relationship with the living God. We have the Bible and the Holy Spirit to train us in how to pray. The Word of God instructs us to put on the whole armor of God and pray for others. (Ephesians 6: 10-17) So we are not powerless spectators to an unfolding worldwide pandemic. Instead, we are colaborers with God in the protection, healing, and blessings of fellow humans. Prayer is a mighty force for good. Let us come to God humbly. Let us be bold in our faith in Jesus Christ. Let us be fervent, persistent, and consistent in our prayers.  

Please let the following information serve as seeds in your mind and heart. May the following prompt you to pray better. Feel free to do your own research online or elsewhere to learn more and keep up to date. 

Do not let the waves of news about this virus fuel your fears or destroy your hope. Allow this season to become one when you practiced prayer more and better than ever. Let the love of God flow through your prayers. 

CURRENT CONDITIONS

The coronavirus has come to the USA. Currently, the communities of Seattle and New York City have been hardest hit. Recently most of the nation went on shut down. All major gatherings have been suspended. This includes schools, places of employment, sporting events, bars, restaurants, and more.  People are required to shelter in place. Only essential workers go to their offline jobs.

Transportation has been disrupted as borders have been closed in nations and cities. There are very few airline flights. This has deeply impacted worldwide industries like tourism, hotels, cruises, and all the small businesses that support such enterprises worldwide.

Families have been coming together as never before due to the shutdown. Family members are forced to relate because children are not going to school and most parents are not going to jobs. They cannot just go out for social gatherings as they did due to the 6-foot social distancing rule. 

Most school students are beginning to learn how to continue their education remotely from home. 

Many (but not all) employees have been able to transition so they can work remotely from home. 

People have been going to the stores to stockpile what they might need. The toilet paper was the first product to sell out. And there are empty shelves on many other aisles too. 

INTERNATIONAL

The coronavirus continues to spread rapidly all around the world. Currently, the countries that have been hardest hit have been China, Italy, and Iran. There has been a chronic shortage of facemasks here in the USA as well as everywhere. 

The news says that the health care systems in Italy have been totally overwhelmed. There was far more demand for hospital beds as well as health care workers and services than there have been resources to supply the needs.  Millions of people worldwide are on shutdown in order to prevent such an overwhelm elsewhere.

If you search for ‘flatten the curve’ and then click on the ‘Images tab’ under the search field you will find many graphs and infographics to illustrate why these measures are so important. This shutdown has been stressful and inconvenient. But this is saving lives as shown in the ‘flatten the curve’ graphs and articles. 

You can do a related search for ‘social distancing’ and then click on the ‘Images tab’ to bring up graphs and infographics. These visual aids can help you and children better understand and appreciate what such terms mean. Also, search on Pinterest for these and other terms in the news. 

There are millions of people in all countries that have been making major adjustments to work from home and to do schooling from home. That involves getting the hardware, software, and internet connections to operate in harmony. There is a need to make space for that in the household. There is a need to find privacy and quiet while other family members do other things. Plus there might be all kinds of new computer skills to learn. There are teachers and school administrators that are reinventing their jobs as they go. Fortunately, there are online tutorials and FAQs. But this is a huge amount of learning for anyone during the best of times. 

There are those who have been thrust into this remote world that do not have English as their first language. Yet most of the online help is in English.

There are those who were about to graduate from high school or college. So now they need to reconsider all their future career plans in the light of this collective uncertainty. 

There has always been a natural affection between grandparents and grandchildren. In most cases, they love to be together. Yet suddenly that is not safe. So there is grief on both sides. 

There are mothers that have been juggling dozens of balls daily last year. To help with their mental and emotional health the children were away at daycare or school. They could go shopping and go see friends as needed. But for many, they need to also supervise homeschooling which is a big bundle of complications. 

Let us be honest. Men get their sense of value and self-worth from their work. Some can continue to work remotely and others are essential workers that continue to have offline jobs. But millions have become unemployed in all kinds of industries due to no fault of their own. There are more men seeking jobs than there are job openings. 

Let us be realistic. During these times people will act out on old addictions or start new ones. There will be an increase in alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and overeating. Those are ways that people use to cope with very painful feelings and thoughts. 

Let us know that in these pressure-cooker circumstances there will be more domestic violence and sexual assault on children. There will be more divorces than normal. That is just a logical conclusion based on the many crazy factors. 

My deepest concern is for the huge increase in pregnancies. Logically as couples are under the same roof day and night, then they will pass the time together in intimate ways.  Before this pandemic, there were enough people and resources in place to help the average number of pregnancies each year. So in 9 months after the shutdown began and for as long as this shutdown lasts, the number of births will go up dramatically. Plus the pregnant woman has special needs for prenatal and postnatal assistance. I hope wise people are getting things ready for this massive increase in births.

During the best of times, life as a homeless person is super difficult. (I lived in a homeless shelter for 3 years.) There is rarely enough good food. There is exposure to the weather no matter how hot, cold, or rainy. The number of personal possessions is very few. Just imagine living out of a backpack for years. There is no sense of safety, security, or stability. Having hope that things will get better is absent or fragile. Washing the body and clothes is challenging. Personal hygiene can be a luxury. They have zero health insurance. Normally they have very few friends or none. Family relationships are strained or nonexistent in most cases Challenges with self-esteem and self-worth are hard to imagine. Very few employers would hire a homeless person. About half the residents at the homeless shelter where I lived were women. And about a fourth of those women had children from infants to teens. Studies show that only 20 percent of homeless people live in shelters. The rest live out in the rough. Some that lived at the shelter attended church because they could shower and clean their clothes. But few that live in the rough attended. Those who live in the rough are vulnerable to being assaulted or robbed. Logically there will be a huge increase in homelessness due to the lack of employment that leads to a lack of income.  

There are 3 major complications related to understanding this pandemic. First is that there has been a shortage of testing kits in every country. And second is that there is data that proves those who do not have symptoms (asymptomatic) could be spreading the virus. The third is that there have been a great many that died at home but those were not confirmed cases (because they were not tested before they died), so those numbers were not added to the reported statistics. 

The concern about the disruptions of the supply chains and travel restrictions has led the prices in the stock markets to fall. That has an impact on the financial well being of many millions of people already. It is unknown when this downward trend will turn around. 

The quarantines and travel restrictions have rippling impacts on the economy. People cannot go to work. When they do not go to work then they do not produce products and services. That disrupts local, national, and international supply chains. When products are not made and shipped then others cannot sell and buy. This includes food. That ripples out to us in the USA and everyone else. Amazon, Walmart, and many other stores sold products that were made in China a few months ago. So this shutdown impacts what will be on the shelves.

We are blessed to live in a developed country here in the USA. But there are billions of fellow humans that are not so blessed. Millions of the poorest ones do not have easy access to plenty of food, clean water, and health care services. Consider those who live packed together in urban slums, they are very vulnerable. Our love and concern for them can be expressed in earnest prayers. 

I recently heard from a missionary in a Latin American country. The entire country is on quarantine with military patrols. People are arrested for breaking the quarantine. This mission agency was given special permission to deliver much-needed beans and rice to those who cannot come out. Pray earnestly for this and other missionaries that are on the front lines. Note that there will be many who do not die of the virus but starve to death. 

There are those that are living in very close quarters that are extra vulnerable. These include those in nursing homes, prisons, homeless shelters, refugee camps, slums, and hospital wards.

There are those who need to get close to people as a part of their job. These include police officers, paramedics, nurses, doctors, prison guards, hospital chaplains, prison chaplains, funeral home workers, midwives, cashiers in retail stores, dentists (limited to emergency procedures), and more.

Where I go for my updates about the coronavirus is the Youtube channel named Peak Prosperity. These give an international perspective that is data-based and logical. Plus there is much more on the Peak Prosperity website.

GENERALLY 

Nothing like this has happened in modern days. (But there were plagues that happened centuries ago.)

The scientists are doing their best to quickly learn and inform others.

The political leaders everywhere are needing to make adjustments as events unfold quickly. They must make tough choices to balance saving lives and saving the economy.

There are health care workers on the front lines of this pandemic. Their lives are at risk as they seek to help others.

The elderly are the most vulnerable but those of all ages have caught the virus. Many of those that did recover had lung damage. 

This virus has infected all people of all kinds that includes the rich and the poor, the liberals and the conservatives, all races, all nationalities, all religions, etc. 

Only the worst cases are admitted at many doctor offices, clinics, and hospitals. So people are stuck at home with personal pains or those of their children. There is a need to find alternative remedies and pain relief. That includes troubles that had gone to the dentist. 

There has been a massive migration of business and schooling that has shifted to online platforms. So there are workers, students, and teachers that have been put on a steep learning curve to get up to speed. 

People have been suddenly thrust into a new kind of lifestyle for an unknown length of time. This radical change plus the various news reports have led to feelings of anxiety, fear, uncertainty, worry, panic, depression, overwhelm, and more.

Ultimately we are all in this together. We are entwined in a dance that keeps changing.

PEOPLE

Those who are the most vulnerable are the senior citizens as well as those with preexisting health conditions like diabetes or problems with the lungs or heart.

Notice that seniors are vulnerable to any disease. Typically they watch TV all day and all night. Most of those over 70 do not know how to use the Internet. Most of my neighbors are in their 70s and 80s and they take 6 to 9 or more prescription pills daily. Most seniors I know of are living alone or in nursing homes, while only a few live with family members. In their isolation from family and friends, their thoughts and feelings can spin around and around. 

Consider the context of your family members, friends, church members, neighbors, and others. Almost all of them are at home all the time. All of them are facing the same uncertainties about the future. All of them must cope with the news. All of them are passing through major lifestyle changes. Some of them live alone. Some of them live just with a spouse. Some live with small children. Some live with teens and/or college-age students. None of them have an abundance of social interactions.

Those alone are most vulnerable to feelings of great loneliness. Those with just spouses need to expand their range of relationships because no one person can meet all the social needs of another person. Those with young and older children have many complications to juggle all the tasks. They need targeted prayers and adult fellowship. 

ESSENTIAL WORKERS

The restrictions to ‘shelter in place’ are for those that are not essential workers. Let us consider who might be the essential workers for our best prayers. Most of these are unsung heroes that have always been diligently working behind the scenes to keep our society running. 

Obviously, that includes doctors and nurses. But a hospital needs lots of other staff as well to keep things going. There are those who need to work in the laundry, supply rooms, food services, janitorial, bookkeeping, maintenance, security, etc. 

There are those that work at pharmacies and their helpers. 

Recently I heard a train whistle in the distance at night. Then I remembered those that have been working that late shift all along so that we have products on the shelves to buy and so companies have raw materials to make the products. 

The truckers keep the cargo moving so that the products can be sold and bought. 

There are those that work at ports that move the cargo to the trucks and trains.

There are those that work at the grocery stores where we buy our food. 

There are computer geeks that keep the internet and phone lines operating. 

There are those that work to keep each utility working including the water department, electricity, sewer, garbage pickup, etc. 

There are those that work at morgues, funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemeteries.

There are those that work at gasoline stations so that all the others have fuel to move around. 

There are the farmers and ranchers as well as all those involved in processing the food until it reaches the consumer.

There are experienced workers in the trades like plumbers, electricians, roofers, and AC & Heater workers.

There are those that deliver goods like drivers for UPS, FedEx, and Amazon.

There are those that work in labs to test for the virus and develop cures.

There are those that work in cybersecurity so that all of us that are online are not hacked.

There are all those in the military and national guard that enforce these new laws to keep us safe.

If you search for ‘essential workers’ then you will find long lists of specific kinds of workers.

Therefore let us pray that God will guide us all in taking prudent measures to prevent the spread of this virus. And especially pray for the protection of these key players. 

FEELINGS

Note that for each person who dies of the coronavirus (or any other cause) there are many around them that will be plunged into grief. Consider how many would have attended any funeral or memorial service. Each person there in their own way must deal with grief. I have never met or heard of a person that dealt with major grief easily. This is more complicated because of the ban on gathering at funerals. 

There are elements of worry, uncertainty, and fear experienced by those who consume the news about the coronavirus. 

Fears related to news about coronavirus (or any topic) can paralyze the mind and limit clear thinking about practical options. Let us monitor our own thoughts and feelings. Let us help others to gain a balanced perspective on this and other matters. Let us seek, find, and focus on what is positive and hope-filled.

I came upon a person that has started to call this enforced homebound season as ‘nesting’. That is a clever way to reframe reality. 

PRAYERS

In this final section, I have written specific prayer guides. Plus all the other sections have implied targets for your love-led and faith-filled prayers. I feel that I would clutter this article if I included a prayer request for each section or paragraph. 

May God shield the hearts and minds of those we pray for and ourselves. 

May God grant those we pray for as well as ourselves peace and hope. 

Let’s pray that God will guide us on how to take suitable measures to be ready for possible future conditions. Besides getting ready, pray that we respond to situations wisely as they arise in the coming months. 

Let’s pray for God to grant wisdom and guidance to all the political leaders and scientific experts. May they set aside their differences and come together for the common good. 

Let’s pray that objective and truthful information be shared. May God make a way that the media decreases sensationalism and fear-mongering. May they minimize making everything about politics and the president. 

Some say to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best. Such a response might be wise in this case and other kinds of potential threats like hurricanes, forest fires, and earthquakes. 

May we fully trust in the Lord with all our hearts while not leaning to our own understanding. May we acknowledge Him in all your ways about this and related issues. Then God will guide our paths. Proverbs 3:5,6.

(You are invited to use any and all of this in your personal prayer life and during prayer times with your families and others. You are invited to forward this to others if it came to you as an email. You can print out the PDF for your personal use and share copies with others. You're welcomed to adapt it and change it as you please. That includes translating it into another language.) 

Shalom 

John S. Oliver 

(This is version 2.0 first published on March 31, 2020)
(Go to the Facebook page named Let’s Pray Better for more prayer guides.)