Christian Concourse - LTC MINISTRY

A Nursing Home Minister's Prayer

by Jerry Johnson

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the blessed opportunity to minister under Your affectionate gaze to the elderly and the infirm in long-term care. Who cares more for them than You? No one, Lord. Your compassion, Your love, Your sustaining power, Your abiding tender mercies touch the most frail...the most confused...the most downcast...the most forgetful...the most pained. I give glory to Your Majestic Name as I reckon with the immensity of Your loving kindness to the humble and the hurting.

Grant to Your servant a fresh understanding of the meaning of "pure religion." I want to show my love for You and for others in practical, meaningful ways. I long to be Your ambassodor of Love and encouragement! Use me, Lord. Make me a humble bearer of great blessings...fill me with Your Holy Spirit...empower me with Your long-suffering and Your meekness. Hold me close to the calling of this special ministry...keep my heart soft to Your guiding touch and my ears open to Your gentle voice.

Dear Lord, I know there are many pitfalls in this mission field. I know the enemy does not want Your Light to brighten saddened, lonely hearts. And I know that I am weak...no, I am hopelessly weak, in my own strength. Please protect me from the wiles of the enemy. Go before me to prepare hearts to receive Your ministry of Christ's saving grace. Give me favor with staff, residents and family members...and give me the patience and the love and the guidance to earn that favor.

Help me, Jesus, to be sensitive to the most faint flicker of Christian faith in a resident's heart and anoint me to fan that flicker into a soul fueled with swelling hope most certain and a spirit aglow with flaming love and zeal for You! Oh, let it be, Dear God. No human breathing Your free air is too small, too insignificant, too forgotten to fall outside Your infinite interest and Your Loving Care. Flood the halls and the rooms of the facility where You have sent me with Your presence. Give me "divine appointments" every time I darken the door. Magnify Yourself, Precious Savior, in the hearts and minds of these, Your creations of Love-hungry humanity.

This is Your ministry, Father. May my hands, my feet, my mouth, all the members of my being content themselves as Your possession alone. I ask of You wisdom, understanding, and discernment in my interaction with staff, residents, family members and other volunteers. Nurture in me a mature, kind and patient attitude toward difficult personalities. Let me be a peacemaker in the midst of struggles that arise. Give me strength and energy to respond generously to each request of my time and attention.

I pray that I will be mindful of my responsibilities to live my life as ever before You, in the facility and at home when no one else is around. Convict me of sin. Protect me from pride. Show me my selfishness and sloth. Strengthen my faith in You and stiffen my faithfulness to Your call. May we rejoice together and dance among the flowers and the fruit of this mission field.

For Your Glory, Almighty King. Amen.

Another source for prayers are books by Word Ministries, Inc.