ELCJHL: Prayers for COVID-19 virus from Bishop Azar

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from Jerusalem, the city of the Resurrection.

In this time of distress over the COVID-19 virus, I ask you to pray with me for the health of all the people of Palestine, Israel, and Jordan, as well as for tourists and medical professionals. We are carefully addressing the risks to our church members, students, and the wider community. We continue to trust in Our Lord Jesus Christ and His merciful protection. We pray also for the world, and for you, in your own contexts, as you pray and work for the health of your community members.

Bishop Sani-Ibrahim Azar
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
Jerusalem

“The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?”
–Psalm 27:1

Let us pray:

Holy and merciful God, In this time of crisis, we lift our prayers to you.

We pray for the sick, for the quarantined, and for those who care for them.

We pray for politicians and those in power, seeking to make the best decisions for all.

We pray for children, for the elderly, and all who are especially vulnerable to this virus.

We pray for our churches, schools, and businesses, struggling to continue work with limited staff.

Above all, we pray for the containment and end of the COVID-19 virus—along with all diseases which threaten human life, including poverty, injustice, violence, and occupation.

We pray this all in the name of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.