World News This Week in Prayer, Thursday, December 12, 2024

Dear God,

Our world is broken in ways that pain us:

• Our hearts break with those who are grieving, especially those in Haiti after the
  massacre that left over 180 people dead. We pray that this situation will not escalate
  with retaliation, but will be ended by justice and reconciliation that prevails.
• Our minds whirl with those who are thrilled by the fall of Assad’s regime in Syria, but wondering where they will go and how they will survive Israel’s bombing as it fights over land in the Golan Heights. We pray that all countries in the Middle East can work towards peace and flourishing in the region, for the benefit of everyone.
• Our lips cry out in protest with those who escaped the firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne, Australia last week. We pray for the end of violence against people for their religious beliefs.

Our world may be broken, O God, but there are signs of hope where your glory shines through in ways that sustain us.

• Our hearts take hope from the winners of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize – Japan’s
  Hibakusha Group, whose members are survivors of atomic and hydrogen bombs. We pray that their suffering and service result in the elimination of nuclear war.
• Our minds continue to think of inspired ways to address climate change, such as
  Glasgow, Scotland’s trial of eco-friendly electric wallpaper to keep older houses warm; Swedish researchers’ creation of a new, strong, lightweight battery made from carbon fiber; and the peaking of greenhouse gas emissions in China due to innovations in solar technologies. We pray that creativity reigns and that more countries add their brilliance to addressing the climate crisis.
• Our lips sing out with messages of peace. Despite living in refugee camps, some
  children in Sudan have access to child-friendly spaces that allow them, according to the United Nations, to “learn, play, interact with friends, receive emotional support, and begin to regain some sense of normalcy.”1 We pray that all people displaced by war and climate events get the opportunity to experience safe spaces so they can have respite from the trauma of not being able to return home.

Gracious God, in this week of peace during Advent, we pray fervently for peace for all, no
matter their circumstances. Be with leaders and decision-makers as they move forward, keeping vulnerable people in their thoughts and hearts so that your light can grow. Be with us as agents of your peace, spreading hope wherever we may go. And be with people around the world as they struggle to find peace.

Light their paths.

Amen.

1 https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/12/1157831