“Jesus, you said, ‘There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’ Today we pray for those men and women who have, in their military service, sacrificed their time, strength, ambition, health and even their lives on this earth to benefit ‘friends,’ known and unknown.

Many of our warriors carry scars in their hearts as well as on their bodies. Dark memories haunt their dreams at night. Fears cloud their waking hours. Jesus, you came to give us abundant life by providing a way for us to release our pain to you. On the cross you bore our sorrows and brokenness and when we trust you, we can exchange our wounds for your joy in a future unhindered by fate. Bring this gift now to the veterans of our nation who bear tangible and intangible wounds. Heal them, Jesus.

Bless the families of soldiers who bear these pains vicariously. Give them patience and wisdom and strength to endure, and more than endure to hope in faith for a blessed life. God, not everything that happens in life is good. But you promise to work all things together for good to those who love you and align their lives with your purpose. Create good in the families of veterans who have experienced pain and loss. Do this miracle, we pray.

We honor our veterans in your name. We thank you – as we thank them – for their sacrifice. We ask you to return to them the favor of your blessing, a gift we on our own could never offer. We ask that you would give our veterans a peace beyond the peace they fought to secure, a peace in their own hearts, wrapped in the joy of a life touched by your strong hand.

In Jesus we pray…”