Natural disasters

Natural disasters and epidemic outbreaks are on the increase. God created a good earth. It only became “cursed” after Adam and Eve did not guard the Garden of Eden and sinned by listening to Satan. Today, we still feel the effects of that curse. Sadly, we continue to mismanage this earth and all its rich resources and diversity. Which other living creature has the ability to destroy or save the planet on the scale as we do?

(See Chinese versions: 简体中文 > 自然灾害 | 繁體中文 > 自然災害)

Genesis 3:17 And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.

A prayer over natural disasters

“Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you that You created a very good planet for us all to enjoy. We are sorry for all the times that mankind has misused and wasted its bounty. While science may be able to explain some of the physical causes of natural disasters, we know that it all began with our tendency to forget You and to neglect Your spiritual and natural laws.

Isaiah 17:10-11 ESV For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge; therefore, though you plant pleasant plants and sow the vine-branch of a stranger, though you make them grow on the day that you plant them, and make them blossom in the morning that you sow, yet the harvest will flee away in a day of grief and incurable pain.

We pray for all those who have been affected by … (name of disaster) in … (name of place). 

For families that have been separated or have relatives who are still missing, we pray for comfort and unity. May Your peace and patience rest upon them as they wait for news. For those under medical care, we ask Father in heaven, that You please bring them the medical help and medicine they need.

Please give the rescue workers and paramedics much-needed strength, energy and resources during this time. May they receive the support needed to keep them going.

Please give the authorities and governing bodies in the area wisdom in knowing how to handle the crisis. Please move their hearts to practice humility and integrity with the concerns of others being more important than their own. Where there is a need for more manpower and financial aid to cope with the disaster, please grant the place favour with their neighbours. 

Daniel 2:20-21 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

In the midst of our sorrow over the loss and devastation that we see, teach us to faithfully pray without ceasing, to give You thanks even though we do not understand the good that can come from such bad situations. Only You can make things good again.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Romans 8:28 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

We boldly ask for the Holy Spirit to move believers to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ, to bring Your love as well as physical and spiritual restoration to those around them. Give them the endurance and patience they need. 

We humbly ask that You give them great courage to be bold in loving and serving others. Where there are opportunities to walk in faith, may they gladly proclaim Your mighty name. 

Romans 5:3-5 ESV More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

We ask for miraculous signs and wonders so that more will see that Your hand upon them and know that You are the one and only Almighty. May many hearts be softened to receive Your good news of salvation and learn to call You ‘Abba, Father’.

Romans 8:28 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

For the idol worship, sexual sins and other immoral acts that have defiled the land where the disaster happened, we ask that believers rise up to ask for forgiveness on behalf of the people, and to pray for a restoration of the territory to purity and fullness, in Jesus’ name.

Leviticus 18:24-28 “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

We also humbly ask that You bless the land and protect those who love You from hunger, poverty and destruction. Bless the works of those who call You their Heavenly Father and teach them to serve You with all their hearts and souls.

Deuteronomy 11:13-15 ESV “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full.

We ask all this for Your glory.

In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”