Prayer for Libya, Pakistan, and Toronto
I led the intercessory prayer at my church this evening. Seems like it might be of general interest, so here's what I prayed:
Dear Lord, we thank you that you call us your family and that you care about our needs, great or small.
Please hear our prayers this evening as we pray for our world, our city, and our community.
O Lord, our hearts are heavy when we think about all the places in the world where the results of sin are clear and your peace seems very far away.
We pray specifically tonight for Libya where conflict between the government and protesters is resulting in violence, death and suffering. We pray for the people of Libya in this time of turmoil and uncertainty, that you would protect them and be near to them. We pray that your justice and your peace might prevail in Libya.
We pray for the other places in the Middle East where protests are taking place. God, we know that you hate evil and love the poor and oppressed, so we pray for your justice to come to the tyrants and for your mercy to the powerless. Above all, God, work through these events for their good, for the ultimate good of the people of the Middle East, most of whom do not know you. Sweep away the lies and the oppression and open their eyes to your truth.
We also pray for Pakistan where Shabahz Bhatti, a Christian politician who was recently assassinated because of his stand against the blasphemy laws used to persecute religious minorities. We pray for his family and for his fellow Pakistani Christians who are now fearful for their lives. Comfort them and give them courage in this terrible loss. Lord, thank you for the life of Shabahz Bhatti, who before he was killed said he knew the meaning of the Cross, and he was willing to follow the example of Jesus, to lay down his life for truth, for the sake of the marginalized people in Pakistan.
What a humbling witness! Lord, would you work on our hearts to bring about such a sacrificial attitude, and would you raise up many such Christian leaders in Pakistan and in the Muslim world willing to fight the good fight despite the terrible cost.
Lord, we can hardly imagine the lives of those for whom being a Christian means persecution and perhaps martyrdom. Nonetheless we pray for our brothers and sisters who suffer for your sake. Sustain them, protect them, and encourage them. We know that they are precious to you—let them feel your love despite their trials. May their lives bear much fruit as others witness their love for you.
We pray for the city of Toronto—so far from such scenes of persecution and yet still home to injustice and lies. May your justice prevail here too. We pray for our leaders, that they would care for the needy and oppressed of the city. That they would consider the needs of the poor and homeless more important than playing politics; speaking hard truths more important than twisting the facts for political gain. Lord, somehow this seems a harder thing to ask than peace in the Middle East—it too needs the miraculous influence of your spirit to accomplish it. But we ask it anyway, in faith.
Lord, we pray also for your spirit to come upon those in this city who do not know you. God, so many people here live their lives totally unconscious of any sort of larger purpose or meaning, unaware that you are real and that you love them. Lord this too seems impossible, but we pray for the salvation of Toronto. Please, work in the hearts of the people of this city, drawing them to yourself. Be the hound of heaven in their lives, pursue them like a lover. We know that you are the Great Fisherman, that you can catch a man "with an unseen hook and an invisible line long enough to let him wander to the ends of the world, and still bring him back with a twitch upon the thread."* Use this power, we pray.
Finally, Lord, we bring before you the needs of this community.
We pray for the search committee, that you would give them wisdom in their task, and for the Knox leadership that you would strengthen and encourage as they serve. Lord, I pray for a spirit of unity at Knox and for growth in this time of transition.
We pray for the health needs of our community. We pray for Andresa and for Pattra. We thank you for the good news that they received, and we pray for their continued healing.
Lord, would you give strength to students struggling with their workload and healing to those dealing with strained or broken relationships. Lord, in all of the trials of our life, will you be with us, helping us to have the right attitude, to act rightly towards our neighbors and to you? May our lives please you.
O Christ, we long for the day when you come again and all things will be made right. Along with creation we groan at the wrong in the world, and eagerly await your salvation.
Come soon, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
---
*A slightly modified quote from G. K. Chesteron's Father Brown story The Queer Feet, also referenced in Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.
Dear Lord, we thank you that you call us your family and that you care about our needs, great or small.
Please hear our prayers this evening as we pray for our world, our city, and our community.
O Lord, our hearts are heavy when we think about all the places in the world where the results of sin are clear and your peace seems very far away.
We pray specifically tonight for Libya where conflict between the government and protesters is resulting in violence, death and suffering. We pray for the people of Libya in this time of turmoil and uncertainty, that you would protect them and be near to them. We pray that your justice and your peace might prevail in Libya.
We pray for the other places in the Middle East where protests are taking place. God, we know that you hate evil and love the poor and oppressed, so we pray for your justice to come to the tyrants and for your mercy to the powerless. Above all, God, work through these events for their good, for the ultimate good of the people of the Middle East, most of whom do not know you. Sweep away the lies and the oppression and open their eyes to your truth.
We also pray for Pakistan where Shabahz Bhatti, a Christian politician who was recently assassinated because of his stand against the blasphemy laws used to persecute religious minorities. We pray for his family and for his fellow Pakistani Christians who are now fearful for their lives. Comfort them and give them courage in this terrible loss. Lord, thank you for the life of Shabahz Bhatti, who before he was killed said he knew the meaning of the Cross, and he was willing to follow the example of Jesus, to lay down his life for truth, for the sake of the marginalized people in Pakistan.
What a humbling witness! Lord, would you work on our hearts to bring about such a sacrificial attitude, and would you raise up many such Christian leaders in Pakistan and in the Muslim world willing to fight the good fight despite the terrible cost.
Lord, we can hardly imagine the lives of those for whom being a Christian means persecution and perhaps martyrdom. Nonetheless we pray for our brothers and sisters who suffer for your sake. Sustain them, protect them, and encourage them. We know that they are precious to you—let them feel your love despite their trials. May their lives bear much fruit as others witness their love for you.
We pray for the city of Toronto—so far from such scenes of persecution and yet still home to injustice and lies. May your justice prevail here too. We pray for our leaders, that they would care for the needy and oppressed of the city. That they would consider the needs of the poor and homeless more important than playing politics; speaking hard truths more important than twisting the facts for political gain. Lord, somehow this seems a harder thing to ask than peace in the Middle East—it too needs the miraculous influence of your spirit to accomplish it. But we ask it anyway, in faith.
Lord, we pray also for your spirit to come upon those in this city who do not know you. God, so many people here live their lives totally unconscious of any sort of larger purpose or meaning, unaware that you are real and that you love them. Lord this too seems impossible, but we pray for the salvation of Toronto. Please, work in the hearts of the people of this city, drawing them to yourself. Be the hound of heaven in their lives, pursue them like a lover. We know that you are the Great Fisherman, that you can catch a man "with an unseen hook and an invisible line long enough to let him wander to the ends of the world, and still bring him back with a twitch upon the thread."* Use this power, we pray.
Finally, Lord, we bring before you the needs of this community.
We pray for the search committee, that you would give them wisdom in their task, and for the Knox leadership that you would strengthen and encourage as they serve. Lord, I pray for a spirit of unity at Knox and for growth in this time of transition.
We pray for the health needs of our community. We pray for Andresa and for Pattra. We thank you for the good news that they received, and we pray for their continued healing.
Lord, would you give strength to students struggling with their workload and healing to those dealing with strained or broken relationships. Lord, in all of the trials of our life, will you be with us, helping us to have the right attitude, to act rightly towards our neighbors and to you? May our lives please you.
O Christ, we long for the day when you come again and all things will be made right. Along with creation we groan at the wrong in the world, and eagerly await your salvation.
Come soon, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
---
*A slightly modified quote from G. K. Chesteron's Father Brown story The Queer Feet, also referenced in Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.
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