Merciful God, on
Monday evening, the Israeli army found the bodies of the
missing Israeli teens;we grieve with the families of these Israelis, as we
grieve with the families of the nine Palestinians killed, including a
16-year-old in Jenin Tuesday morning. Lord, in this time, it is fully clear
that violence can only beget violence and despair begets desperate actions—the
Israeli military has increased airstrikes against the Gaza Strip, causing heavy
damage, and clashes already broke out in the major Palestinian cities of the
West Bank. It is time the Israeli government and the Israeli people realize
that the only way to bring an end to the cycle of violence is to address its
root cause by ending the occupation and the illegal settlement project. Please,
Lord, protect the innocents who are punished for the actions of the few, put an
end to violent escalation,and guide our political and religious leaders to be
bold peacemakers and to speak the truth even when it is unpopular. Lord in your
mercy…
The Israeli
cabinet just passed a measure to invest $90 million in further annexing East
Jerusalem to Israel. Through both blatant and subtle methods, Israel extends
its control over the Palestinian people and denies them their rights. Lord, we
cry out: please inspire us to action, and give us the strength to resist these
evil policies through nonviolence. Lord in your mercy…
Gracious God,
please bless our Muslim sisters and brothers as they celebrate the month of
Ramadan, which began this past weekend. In spite of Israel’s recent
restrictions on permits and other travel limitations from the occupation,
please allow this month to be one of spiritual renewal and community building. We
pray that this month of fasting reflects God’s desire “to loose the bonds of
injustice . . . [and] to let the oppressed go free” (Isa. 58:6). Lord in your
mercy…
Your
faithfulness is unending, and we at Sabeel see this in your commitment to this
organization as we continue to undergo transitions. Please inspire our
thoughts, direct our actions, and equip us to help illuminate your kingdom on
Earth. Lord in your mercy…
Lord, we pray alongsidethe
World Council of Churches for the countries of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Lord
in your mercy…
No comments:
Post a Comment