World in Prayer, Dec. 11th
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that would obstruct your mercy, that willingly we might bear your redeeming love to all the world.
We long for this stirring, O God, as we look around our world in this holy season of Advent, as we see the darkness into which we long for your light of justice and hope to shine.
- In the United States, where both black and white have been deeply affected by the deaths of young black men at the hands of the police.
We pray for them all.
- In the death of Palestinian cabinet minister, Ziad Abu Ain, in a clash with Israeli troops during a rally on the West Bank.
We pray for them all.
- In the legal confrontation between big Pharma and the government of India over the push for the restructuring of India’s drug patent laws, which would be at the expense of the poor.
We pray for them all.
- In the economic report that there are an estimated 2.4 billion people worldwide living on less than $2 per day, even as the wealth of the wealthy grows exponentially.
We pray for them all.
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
We long for this stirring, O God, as we look into the darkness of these winter nights and seek for the light of justice.
- In the revelations about the use by of extreme interrogation techniques- torture-
by the American CIA, in spite of supposed adherence to the Geneva Convention against torture.
Our hearts are heavy as we pray.
- In the extremities of weather across the globe, with people suffering the effects of storms in the Philippines and the eastern United States and California.
Our hearts are heavy as we pray.
- In the continued arrests of pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong.
Our hearts are heavy as we pray.
- In the report released in Brazil about the systematic murder and torture in the 20th century by the military dictatorship.
Our hearts are heavy as we pray.
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
We long for this stirring, O God, as we look into the darkness, and seek for the light of hope.
- In the just-concluded meeting of officials from 158 countries in Vienna, Austria, where they set the goal of working toward a world free of nuclear weapons.
We pray with hopeful hearts.
- In Lima, Peru, where diplomats from 196 countries are gathered for talks on climate change, with the possibility of a historic agreement on combating global warming.
We pray with hopeful hearts.
Gather all of these concerns into your loving, compassionate, eminently just arms, O God, for they are too heavy for us to bear alone. We rest in your promise to be with us always, and we long for the coming again of the Prince of Peace, the Mighty Counsellor, the Immanuel.
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. Let it be so. Amen
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