A Prayer on August 1, 2024 about the Middle East

(I have lived in both Lebanon and Iran)

God of mercy, we cry out to you, for that is all we can do.

We cry out to you for Lebanon, how much more suffering must the people of that country endure? How long will their suffering be? You see how small they are, trampled on by powers greater than themselves.

God of power, stop those who would commit violence – both those who would commit violence against those living in Lebanon and those who would use Lebanon as a base from which to commit violence against others.

Silence the guns, the missile launchers, the drone attacks.

Bring peace, we pray.

God whose ways are higher than our ways and whose thoughts and greater than our thoughts, move in the leaders of Iran that they would flow paths of restraint in the face of provocation, and paths of talk rather than military engagement.

Change hearts and minds in the leadership of Iran that religious freedom would come, and the followers of your Son Jesus Christ could worship without fear.

And teach those of us who do not live in the Middle East the patient faithfulness of persistent prayer, the greatest force the world has ever seen or known.

These things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who is both the Prince of Peace and the Lord of all the nations. Amen.