O God of all peoples.
Hear these prayers as bits and pieces of the news this week are shared.
You know all sorrows and joys.
It seems like a heavy and fearful time right now.
Shine your light on these times bringing clarity and justice, peace and recovery.
Renew our hearts and minds.
Bring your comfort and peace to the Southport, Merseyside (UK) neighborhood as peaceful vigils mourn the murder of 3 children. “These were just little kids at a dance class,” reflects a Taylor Swift posting. Lord, bring your clarity and justice to the violence and rioting by those not even from Southport, UK who reacted to disinformation mostly from the extreme right wing group – The English Defence League. They tore down walls to throw bricks at a mosque, attacking and injuring police, canines, emergency workers and transport just one day after the murderous attack. This has been repeated in several places in England but not in the other countries of the UK.
Lord have mercy. Jesus, the truth, set us free to do your will.
“I thought I had no future,” says Ahmed. A children’s school for 1,800 in Metche in eastern Chad is sponsored by the Norwegian Refugee Council. A BBC article interviewed Ahmed and his brother who remains at home who awaits a school placement as do over 300,000 Sudanese children. We pray for the 14,000 who have died in the ethnic violence of the Sudan civil war.
Great Comforter, be with the nearly 2 million souls who have been displaced or have crossed the border into Chad. Soothe those experiencing the aftermath of unbearable violence, the horror of rape and those witnessing the killings of family and community members by rebels who also poisoned the wells.
Lord have mercy. Disturb us into confronting evil with your truth, love and grace.
We pray for those countries in civil wars: Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Syria, Yemen, Myanmar, Haiti (civil and gang wars), Mexico (drug wars), Columbia (drug war).
Christ, have mercy. Awaken us.
Bandits are driving the farmers off their land into Katsina City, Nigeria. One meal a day, if lucky, does not support families, let alone women or to supply their breastmilk; and the sorrow grows for their crying, hungry infants. Médecins Sans Frontières relates how Ummi, an orphan, has been taken up by her auntie who is trying to feed her and her own child. This story is replayed out for over 4 million children under five years, as the instability in Northern Nigeria is seeing a doubling of child starvation in one year. We pray for a return for families to their homes and farms, to crops and food to the table, for nourishment of mothers and the end to this horrendous thievery.
Christ, have mercy. Bread of heaven, inspire us to share your bounty.
We call awareness to countries where terrorist insurgencies are displacing millions: Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, Iraq, and the DR Congo.
We pray for the people of Grenada who have suffered from the devastation caused by hurricane Beryl. Bring safety and security to communities as they take stock of their homes, farms, mangrove forests and waterfront infrastructure. The livelihood of fishermen has been impacted. Electric grid destruction and the costs of rebuilding lay heavy upon this nation. Help us to give to those in need, those in extreme deprivation.
We are the Body of Christ: awaken us to our shared interdependence, oneness in you and open our hearts and resources to share since all things come from you.
We are grateful for justice served as the Inflation Reduction Act commits the US Department of Agriculture in making good on financial assistance to more than 43,000 farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who have experienced discrimination in the agency’s farm lending programs. Black farmers and other under-represented groups will now receive financial restitution. Discrimination included higher interest rates, approval of loans too late in the farming season and a lack of assistance from loan officers.
Lord, have mercy and bless this long delayed justice and restitution.
We pray for the safekeeping of people in warring nations and border conflicts. End these chronic wars that seem to endure from unlimited weapons stockpiles, that tear at the innocent. Bring ceasefires to Russia and Ukraine, to Israel and Gaza, Palestine. End the so-called proxy wars of Iran and Israel that impact other nations as we hear of the bombing and loss of life on a children’s soccer field in the Golan Heights, Israel and bombings in neighborhoods in Beirut, Lebanon. Bring a peace that transcends borders such as the Afghanistan–Pakistan border conflict and border disputes in India.
Prince of Peace, move us to work for justice and peace according to your will rather than following the old, tired, dead stories propounded by power hungry humans. Lord have mercy.
Lord in all of these places as wildfires rage across the world,
as smoke from war signals man’s ability to destroy and commit senseless killing,
as smoke from forests burning reminds us of our duties to care for each other and our habitat.
bring us to a renewed sense of wisdom and mindfulness.
Open our hearts…this morning, …this evening
Renew us as we till the fields of justice and compassion.
Center us in your love.
Amen.
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COULD THIS BE YOU?
“World in Prayer is seeking a few more volunteers to join our team! Each week, one writer compiles the news and crafts the accompanying prayers. The week’s editor checks the prayers for accuracy and coherence, then posts them on our website. Team members generally serve approximately once every 4-6 weeks. Requirements:
- an interest in international affairs and conviction that God loves all.
- belief that prayer is part of what holds the world together and builds us into the people of God.
- a love of praying and writing and listening to the prompts of the Holy Spirit.
- an interest in being part of this ministry and ability to commit to this kind of schedule.
If this describes you, please do drop us a note at worldinprayer@aol.com!”
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