Thursday, January 10, 2013

10/1/13 - English

Lord, as we begin the New Year, we come before you grateful for all your gifts from last year – for daily needs met, for voices and actions of peace, for individual and communal choices to act justly and love all people. We continue to ask for your Kingdom come, that all people might flourish and have their needs met. We ask your blessing on this New Year, that it might bring a just peace for Palestinians & Israelis, for the region, and for the whole world. Lord, in your mercy...

Lord we pray for the physical needs of everyone suffering this week from severe weather conditions that have arisen in the Middle East and Australia. Please be with Syrian refugees stranded at the Syrian-Turkish border in this bitter wind and rain, and for all refugees who currently lack adequate shelter, like those living in tents in Lebanon, Turkey, and other places. Please also bring relief from the extreme heat and quell the catastrophic wildfires raging in parts of Australia & in Tasmania, and protect people who have had to evacuate their homes. Lord, in your mercy...

We pray also for women around the world, especially in India, Pakistan, and Palestine – for their rights and dignity to be respected as they face varying challenges in their different contexts. Lord, would horrible events like the gang rape of the woman in India and the Taliban’s attack on Malala not end in despair. Would you transform these evils into active change for good. We also continue to pray for Palestinian mothers under occupation who fear daily for their children. Lord, in your mercy...

God, having given us at Sabeel this ministry of truth-speaking and work for peace, would you please strengthen and embolden us for the task. May we embody your hope and your reconciliation in this world, acting justly, loving mercy, and dwelling always on your goodness. Please accompany us in our preparations for Sabeel’s involvement in three conferences this year and sustain all our ministries, in both Nazareth and Jerusalem, and the work of Friends of Sabeel around the world. Thank you for Hiba Dahdal, who will be leaving us soon, and for her dedicated work over the past year. Lord, in your mercy...

Finally, we pray alongside the World Council of Churches for the countries of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Iran, and Iraq. Lord, in your mercy...

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