Lord, we know that you love all
people and that you came to reconcile all people to each other and to you.
Thus, we pray against the rising prevalence of racism and sectarian violence in
Israel and elsewhere. Lord, please bring to justice the “Pricetag” terrorist
group who has attacked multiple mosques and who most recently torched the
entrance to the 120-year old Latrun Monastery near Jerusalem. We pray for their
arrest and the prevention of further attacks like these. Hateful slurs like
“Jesus is a monkey” were sprayed on the walls of the building next to the name
of a small illegal settlement that was recently evacuated by the Israeli
government. We cry out that no one should be allowed to spread such toxic violence,
and we refuse all forms of violent response in the name of Jesus! We pray
against fear and hatred that lead to racism in this land - from discrimination
against African refugees, to the terrible misunderstandings between religions,
to the sustained oppressive control of Palestinians’ lives. Lord, protect our
young people, empowering them to work towards peace and love of neighbor. Lord,
in your mercy...
All-knowing God, we lift up the
recent economic distress and this week’s resulting upheaval in the West Bank in
protest of the rising cost of living. Please bring relief to the many families
and individuals who have not received their salaries because of deficits in the
budget of the Palestinian Authority. Please bring a lasting change through the
voiced needs of these people, and prevent those who are upset from resorting to
any forms of violence. We ask you to bring attention to the real roots of the
problem, and to the economic and political realities which are inextricably
linked. We pray for the end of the Israeli occupation, and against corruption
and mismanagement. Please raise up people to effectively tackle these
challenges. Lord in your mercy...
Loving and unchanging Father, we beg
you to act on behalf of the children in Gaza who have been harassed,
intimidated, and detained by the Israeli military while attempting to provide
for themselves by fishing off their coast. Though nearly 70% of cases are
within the three nautical mile Israeli-imposed sea limit, 92% of children
report being fired upon without warning and detained without explanation. In
58% of cases, the fishing boats and equipment were confiscated, though in none
of the cases were any of the children ever actually charged with any offense.
Lord, please end this senseless injustice, provide for the needs of these
children, and bring lasting change in the way the military deals with these
innocents. Lord in your mercy...
Similarly, we pray also over the
newest edition of the Cornerstone concerning the most vulnerable victims of the
malpractices within Israeli occupation: children and youth. Please protect all
the young and impressionable children that face arrest and interrogation, often
without adequate cause or representation. Give us ears to hear this terrible
reality, and eyes to see the creative ways in which your love teaches us to
actively seek justice and redemption. Lord, in your mercy...
Lord, we praise you for the recent
Sabeel gathering in Bethlehem and the encouragement of local youth concerning
the relevance of Christian love to the need for justice and peace. We pray for
the upcoming Sabeel Jerusalem open forum discussion this Thursday, and for the
women, youth, and children’s programs in Nazareth. Lord, give us wisdom and
make us effective for your purposes in this place. Lord in your mercy...
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