Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
Admiral Karl Schultz said, in his annual “State of the Coast Guard” address, that the U.S. Coast Guard remains in high demand at home and overseas as it continues to modernize the service and develop its force. They have a growing presence in the Indo-Pacific Region, which includes patrols and liaising with foreign partners and allies amid continued rising tensions driven largely by China’s actions in the maritime environment.
U.S. and Taiwanese officials have signed a Coast Guard cooperation agreement amid concerns of Chinese attacks on the island. “The United States is committed to deepening ties with Taiwan, and this MOU [Memorandum of Understanding] lays an important foundation for strengthened maritime law enforcement cooperation between the United States and Taiwan,” a State Department spokesperson said.
Pray for America’s Coast Guardsmen who are being deployed far from U.S. waters in cooperation with other nations seeking defensive help.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
Political leaders in Iran are divided over how to respond to President Biden’s invitation to begin negotiations aimed at reviving an international agreement that puts limits on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran will have presidential elections in June making it more difficult to predict when and under what conditions Iran might be willing to meet with American diplomats.
Taiwan has begun mass production of a long-range missile and is developing three other models, a senior official disclosed, a rare admission of efforts to develop strike capacity amid escalating Chinese pressure.
Pray for U.S. diplomats working to strengthen relationships with allies and for productive dialogues with America’s adversaries.
Pray For AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Officials in the president’s administration have expressed concern about the Chinese government’s influence over the World Health Organization’s investigation into the origins of the pandemic. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan questioned the legitimacy of the investigation into the Wuhan lab, saying “We do not believe that China has made available sufficient original data into how this pandemic began to spread both in China and then eventually around the world.”
In a 19-1 vote, a panel of the Food and Drug Administration rejected an experimental arthritis drug from Pfizer saying it was too risky, even with limits on its use. The drug, called tanezumab, intended to treat pain from mild to moderate arthritis and taken by injection, resulted in a percentage of study participants getting worse faster, sometimes requiring hip or knee replacements. Others had swelling or nerve damage. In some, healthy joints were damaged.
Pray for the leaders of U.S. agencies that oversee the safety and efficacy of America’s pharmaceuticals.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
With all votes tallied, there was no clear winner in the recent Israeli election. With neither side securing a majority, party leaders must resort to courting fringe parties or those on the opposite side of the political spectrum to try to muster a majority. One wild card is the Arab Islamic Party, which, if it joined a government coalition, could mark the first time an Arab party has secured an election for one side or the other. The political stalemate that began in December 2018 has increased, and another election is possible in the fall.
Israel’s tourism ministry and tourism industry are laying the groundwork for an influx of Muslim tourists, following the Abraham Accords signed with four Arab countries. Israelis have already been visiting the United Arab Emirates and other locations within the countries established due to the coronavirus pandemic. Muslims in Israel will definitely take a pilgrimage to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, where Jews and Muslims believe Abraham is buried.
Pray for the security of Israel as Muslim tourism expands, for the safety of all concerned and for peace.
Pray for THE AMERICAN ECONOMY
The Commerce Department reported that new orders for durable goods—products designed to last at least three years, such as computers and machinery—decreased 1.1 percent in February as compared with January due to U.S. factories facing supply-chain challenges.
Federal Reserve Chairman Powell said before Congress that inflation will have to hold steady above 2 percent for a while before interest rate increases will occur. However, a recent survey shows 77 percent of American consumers are concerned about inflation.
Pray for wisdom for U.S. economists in the government to support the recovery and stability of the American economy.
Pray for Goodness in America
A 96-year-old World War II veteran is still serving his community. Tom Cornish, a resident in a Minnesota senior living community, knits and donates hats to the Salvation Army. He said he began the knitting project amid the coronavirus pandemic and estimates he has donated over 400. “I feel like I’m working for the Lord and that’s a good feeling,” he explained.
Give thanks for the many ways individual Americans show kindness and love toward one another.
Pray for America’s Media
Twenty-one members of the House of Representatives wrote a letter to President Biden asking him to allow access to the border for media scrutiny. “We request that your administration immediately stop blocking media access to current border operations, and to be straightforward with the American people about what is truly happening at our southern border,” they wrote.
Pray that the president’s administration will provide access to the facilities at the border, to media as well as to members of Congress, and that the reporting would be true and accurate.
Pray for America’s Education
The year of school closures took a massive toll on the mental health of students and teachers. Ken Duckworth, chief medical officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said, “The isolation we needed to do to save lives is hitting them right at their developmental core. It’s the young adults and the children who are being impacted, and the effects are going to be long-lasting.”
The West Virginia legislature passed the most expansive Education Savings Account program in the U.S. While the program in most states is open to a small percentage of children, the new West Virginia Hope Scholarship will be available to 90 percent of schoolchildren in the state. It effectively opens wide school choice as the scholarships are usable for private school tuition, homeschool curriculum, or other education expenses.
Pray for America’s youth and the effects of the coronavirus on their learning and mental and social health.
Pray for America’s Technology
Governments around the world are subsidizing the construction of semiconductor factories as a chip shortage hinders production in the auto and electronics industries and highlights the world’s singular dependence on Taiwan for vital supplies. In the U.S., Intel announced it will spend $20 billion to build two new chip factories in Arizona.
Pray for the American tech sector to be able to increase the production of microchips and for more domestic companies to enter this industry.
Pray for Needs Across the States
The Georgia House of Representatives passed a sweeping elections bill that will place restrictions on voting, adding new ID requirements for absentee ballots, and limiting ballot drop boxes (including eliminating them on the last four days of an election). The bill was reconciled with a similar measure in the Senate. Governor Kemp signed it into law, saying it is “another step forward ensuring our elections are secure, accessible, and fair.”
The Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation with the intention of lowering health care costs. In a statement, state Representative Calley said, “This comes down to one simple but basic fact. Life-saving prescriptions are worthless if people can’t afford them. This plan will increase prescription drug access and affordability. It will increase transparency and accountability.”
Pray for state lawmakers to work for the benefit of all Americans.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“Expectation plus reality often times results in disappointment. Disappointments, if not addressed in the proper perspective, will result in negativity and pessimism. Christians are not exempted on this. And worse, we may become critics of God as we can blame Him for inaction or being unfair in our time of distress.
People often times look for comfort and material blessings but God is more concerned in our character development. We hate testing and spiritual exercises to strengthen our faith. But God like an old Roman warrior prefers a broken horse for battle. God has a different priority. He has no use of an untamed soul so he chooses to train us first through painful and hard experiences. We may never understand God’s way in time, but what we have to do is cling and hold His hands.” – Pastor Randy Bataanon, Living Word Christian Church, Kuwait
