November 11th is an important day of remembrance. In the U.S., it is Veteran’s Day, honoring all military veterans who have been honorably discharged. In Australia and other Commonwealth countries, it is known as Remembrance Day and in some European countries, it is called Armistice Day marking the anniversary of the end of World War I.
I wrote this prayer several years ago for Memorial Day, another U.S. holiday which honors those who have died in military service, but I feel that the prayer is also very appropriate for today as it reflects our deep desire for healing and for peace.
Prayer for Remembrance/Veteran’s Day
God we remember and we grieve,
For those who have died fighting in wars in all places and all times.
For young lives cut short before their time.
For the atrocities they experienced and perpetrated.
God we remember and we grieve,
For those who were injured.
For veterans maimed, disfigured and homeless.
For sufferers of post traumatic stress syndrome.
God we remember and we grieve,
For civilian victims of war.
For refugees who have lost families and homes
For those who were raped and tortured.
God we remember and we grieve,
May they turn our thoughts to peace and not to war.
May they turn our actions to reconciliation and not to violence.
May they encourage us to restore not to destroy.
God we remember and we grieve,
May your peaceable kingdom come,
And your will for good be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Amen
Scripture
You may also want to pray through these Bible verses for veterans that you know and for their families from CrossWalk.com
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9
The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. – Psalm 29:11
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. – Psalm 33:20-22
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. – Psalm 91:1-3
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.– John 14:27“
Resources and Support for Veterans
Here are a few resources that I found that could be useful for veterans in need.
- Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Counseling and Assistance Programs by Military One Source
- Soldier’s Angels
- US Department of Veteran Affairs – Employment Toolkit
Photo above: Veterans who served on the battleship Missouri attending anniversary of the end of WWII by U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class William R. Goodwin. (RELEASED) – Source, Public Domain
3 comments
I love your prayers Christine and this one, as a surviving spouse of a Vietnam vet, spoke to me. I do however take issue with the picture used. All white men. There are so many service people and vets of color, along with women, who are not represented in this photo. Just a thought as we work towards being more inclusive in language and how Americans are portrayed. Thanks for listening.
Deb, I am sorry the photos we use are restricted by what we can find free online. I would love to have it more diverse but we could not find one.
Wow, that is really sad, isn’t it. I appreciate your response. Thank you.