God of our Mothers and Fathers, we come to you this week with adoration and praise, with lament and longing, with sadness and grief. We see beauty in your world, and we see devastation. We cry aloud to you this week for some of the conditions and situations in the world you created.
We join our prayers with Asaph, the Psalmist of Psalm 77.
I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. Selah
God of Rescuers and Responders: We cry aloud for mercy for those who suffer harm from earthquakes and for the necessary aid and assistance in the aftermath.
Twin earthquakes, a 7.2-magnitude followed by a 7.5-magnitude within seconds, rattled and devastated the northern coast of Venezuela, including La Guaira state and Caracas, on June 24, and aftershocks left the ground unstable. Amid desperate search-and-rescue efforts, the local government’s assistance continues to rely on international aid from first responders to support all the families crying out for help to rescue and find their loved ones. The death toll continues to rise beyond 2,000 persons, with tens of thousands reported missing as rescue efforts turn to recovery efforts, with thousands of international aid workers rallying humanitarian aid for an estimated 1.8 million persons, including 600,000 children.
God of Relief and Rain: We cry aloud for relief for those who suffer harm from extreme heat and wildfires.
Staggeringly high, record-breaking heat and extreme temperatures are causing deaths from dehydration, heat exhaustion, and drowning as people seek relief in rivers, lakes, ponds, and oceans in the Northern Hemisphere, across Europe in France and the UK, Germany, Hungary, Czechia, Poland, and Denmark, and many states in the USA.
Wildfires have consumed more than 430,000 acres in Utah and Colorado, USA, as plumes of smoke and a thick orange haze blanket the skies, prompting many to evacuate.
God of the Rivers and Streams: We cry aloud for assistance and aid for those whose lives and property have been washed away in floods.
Flooding and a state of emergency happened this week in Kentucky, USA, amid potential dam failures. More flooding in Albuquerque, NM, USA, with the agonizing work of picking up the pieces of flooded property and lost lives. We remember the one-year anniversary on July 4 of the tragic deaths of campers, counselors, and the director at Camp Mystic in Texas, USA, due to failure to evacuate before the Guadalupe River rose in record flash flooding.
God of Peace and Reconciliation: We cry aloud for lasting peace between warring nations and ethnicities.
Wars and hostilities continue between Russia and Ukraine, the USA and Iran, Israel and Lebanon, as fragile diplomatic efforts with ceasefire agreements continue to be brokered and broken in southern Lebanon, Gaza, and the Strait of Hormuz near Iran. We grieve the ongoing civil war in Sudan, the multi-group conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the aftermath of the Tigray war in Ethiopia with sporadic clashes.
Anti-immigrant protests on Tuesday this week against African nationals in South Africa saw protesters draped in flags wield wooden weapons as they marched across cities in South Africa, demanding the departure of undocumented migrants by the Tuesday deadline.
God of Scientific and Medicinal Wisdom: We cry aloud for cures and medicines to alleviate deadly diseases.
The deadly Ebola virus outbreak spread to a fourth province this week in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with nearly 1,300 confirmed cases in DRC, with 360 deaths so far, while its neighbor Uganda has 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, and France confirms a case in a doctor returning from the DRC.
God of All the Nations of the Earth: We cry aloud for those who remember history and work toward pursuits of life and liberty.
The USA celebrates 250 years since the Declaration of Independence on July 4, with historic ceremonies, fireworks displays, parades, and cultural festivals, while major events are planned in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the Declaration, and Washington, D.C., to honor the nation’s history.
God of Hospitality and Welcome: We cry aloud for strategic friendships and bridge-building opportunities to share life in world sporting events.
The FIFA World Cup (soccer) continues to offer opportunities for countries around the world to gather, offer and receive hospitality, and build relational bridges.
I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember your wonders of old.
I will meditate on all your work and muse on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who works wonders.— Psalm 77:11–14
Hear our prayers as we cry aloud to the Holy One who loves us, who hears us, and who answers us. Amen.
Leave a Reply