Friday, October 26, 2012

25/10/12 - English

Mighty God, please watch over and protect those caught up in unrest and fighting in Lebanon this week. As the assassination of Lebanon’s security chief Wissam Al-Hassan has aggravated sectarian divisions, we pray that Lebanon would not slip back into civil war. Please provide peaceful, rational ways for the country to respond to these latest events and prevent the further spread of violence. Lord, in your mercy…

Prince of Peace who wept over Jerusalem, we weep with you today over our divided city. We implore you, who conquered death, to help all your children triumph over the death that threatens to control our cities in the forms of hatred, racial division, and injustice. We hear of discouraging developments such as 800 newly-approved settlement units on confiscated West Bank land in Gilo or the Israeli military academy to be constructed on the Mount of Olives in occupied East Jerusalem. We beg you to show us your hope for the people of this city. Please, God, may Jerusalem truly become the City of Peace – an open city, shared respectfully by followers of all faiths and backgrounds. Lord, in your mercy...

Life-giving Creator, we bring before you the siege on Gaza that continues to deprive people of food, water, and other human necessities. Moreover, the blockade on Gaza deprives residents of what you endowed to all men and women when you created them: the gift of freedom. We praise you for those who would resist the blockade, like the Swedish ship Estelle that carried goods to deliver to Gazans. We pray for success in future efforts, and that no such groups who attempt to defend human rights would be treated instead as criminals. You have promised strength for the weary and justice for the oppressed. Please end the suffering and imprisonment of Gaza. Lord, in your mercy…

We also lift up the three Sabeel Witness Visits during October and November, asking that your Spirit would lead these groups into all truth and help them to respond in love. We pray especially for Bob & Maurine Tobin – long time volunteers at Sabeel and Coordinators of this year’s US witness visit – as Bob will be prevented from coming due to illness. We thank you that he is in recovery, and we pray for full healing. We also pray for effective ministry through this week’s Jerusalem & Nazareth Sabeel programs, such as Tuesday’s Open Forum, olive picking with the youth in Bethlehem over the weekend, and Nazareth youth volunteer work. Lord, in your mercy…

We pray, in solidarity with the World Council of Churches, for our brothers and sisters in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – for joy in all the beauty with which you have endowed these cultures, for relief from poverty and environmental challenges, for sustained peace and harmony. Lord, in your mercy....




No comments:

Post a Comment