One of my beloved daughters-in-law is a nurse. She’d been working one day a week and was going to leave her position as a charge nurse to be home full time with her and my son’s children at the end of March. Instead, in early March, she went from part time to full time—working on whichever floor she is needed most. 

She was made for this. To serve. To offer. To sacrifice.

In the midst of her beautiful and skilled offering, though they live close to us, we don’t get to see her, our son, or our two beloved grandchildren. They expect to get the coronavirus. She is taking Herculean steps to prevent that from happening, but still, they expect it. Even after this calms down and she leaves her position, she and their family will remain quarantined for another two weeks. We don’t know when that will be, and oh, we miss them.

We miss them and we diligently pray for them and we regularly stand against the temptation to fear for their lives.

I’ve heard from many of you who are in the medical field or whose loved ones are. I’ve heard from one nurse whose fellow nurses circled up at the beginning of this unfolding pandemic, took hands and prayed—saying together, like battle commanders say—with a holy sobriety, “for such a time as this.” This is why I became a nurse. This is why I became a doctor. This. Is. It.

Friends, can we pray together for them here?

Holy and blessed Trinity,

You who never sleep or slumber, you who never tire or fret, you who see all, know all and love all—we lift up to you the caregivers. We lift up to you [name them] and we ask for your protection over their life. We ask for you to strengthen them by your grace. We pray you give them great wisdom, patience, and guidance in their every decision and interaction.

Jesus, would you be so very close to them? Breathe on them your breath of Life. May they become even more your intimate friend by walking this road with you. You are their Champion, the one they follow; champion them, Lord, as they fight for the lives of others.

Holy Spirit, Comforter, fill them and enable them to accomplish all that you have set before them to do in union with you. May they know to the very core of their being that they are never alone. You are the very source of their life. Fill them to overflowing with every good fruit. May they bring Jesus to those they care for by their very presence.

Father, we fervently ask that you place a hedge of protection to surround them and their families that no illness or attack could pass through. We trust you to hold them close.

Jesus, we also thank you for your angels. We summon them in the name of Jesus Christ and instruct them to destroy all that is raised against our dear ones, to establish your Kingdom over them, to guard them day and night. We ask you to send forth your Spirit to raise up prayer and intercession for them. We now call forth the Kingdom of God throughout their home, their household, their work and the domain you have given them in the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving all glory and honor and thanks to him. In Jesus’ name, amen.

God bless you, friends.