Sabeel Wave of Prayer, January 15, 2014

Wave of Prayer: This prayer ministry enables local and international friends of Sabeel to pray over regional concerns on a weekly basis. Sent to Sabeel’s network of supporters, the prayer is used in services around the world and during Sabeel’s Thursday Communion service; as each community in its respective time zone lifts these concerns in prayer at noon every Thursday, this “wave of prayer” washes over the world.

We mourn along with the world the victims of the recent terror attacks in Paris, France in a supermarket and at the office of the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper.  Lord, we pray that such violent attacks by extremists everywhere will end. We also pray that there will be free press and true freedom of expression practiced with responsibility in every country, and that such freedom will not only be protected for certain topics and certain people while excluding others.  Lord in your mercy…

Last week several people, mostly children, died in both Syria and Gaza from the winter storm that brought cold temperatures, snow and flooding to the region.  In Syria the victims were refugees, and in Gaza, mostly the displaced and those living in partially destroyed homes due to Israel’s massive military offensive in Gaza last summer. The world has failed to protect vulnerable children such as these from a preventable tragedy; God of mercy, we pray that all will hear their cries.  Lord in your mercy…

On Sunday Jewish settlers in the nearby illegal Tappuah settlement tore down more than 170 ancient (over 100-year old) olive trees in the village of Yasuf near Nablus, the third such attack in the West Bank within three days. Lord, we ask for your protection of around 80,000 families in the occupied West Bank whose livelihoods depend on the olive tree industry and who are threatened by such settler attacks meant to drive them out of their lands.  Lord in your mercy…

God of grace, we are thankful for the many international groups that visit our Sabeel offices seeking to learn about Palestinian Liberation Theology and the struggles of all Palestinians under Israeli occupation.  We pray for your blessing upon these visits as we welcome several groups in the coming weeks.  We also pray for our women’s meeting in Nazareth to discuss the activities for the year.  Lord in your mercy…

We pray alongside the World Council of Churches for the countries of Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey.  Lord in your mercy…