The Lord's Own Prayer
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June 15, The Lord's Own Prayer - Part 1
Pastor Dan Cochrane prayed with us for the church in the Middle East. Here is a transcript of what Pastor Dan shared, along with the prayer:
"I know as a friend, Ferris Abraham. He's a leader of next generation Christians in that whole area; a Christian leader. And then another man named, Munther Isaac, who's a Palestinian pastor in Bethlehem. He's the head of the Bethlehem Bible College and pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. Their hearts are completely broken for their world. They're under great duress and stress. And so, if when you think of the Middle East if you could remember Ferris Abraham and Munther Isaac—I've let them know we'll be praying for them.
Ferris posted a prayer and I received this last week and it's a prayer they're praying and I thought it would be appropriate for us to pray it with them today. So I'm going to read it and pray it and it I'm asking you to to bow your heads with me and we'll we'll pray for their world over there. So let's pray together.
Loving Father, our hearts are heavy again. Another wave of violence. Another generation growing up under smoke and sorrow. We're so tired of war. So tired of funerals, of rubble, of prayers whispered in fear. Our region groans beneath the weight of endless conflict, and our people—Palestinians, Israelis, Arabs, Jews, Muslims and Christians—we are weary to the bone.
Lord, You know the cries of this region. You walked these hills and You wept over this city, Jerusalem. We ask You to break the cycle of violence with Your mercy to silence the drums of war with the sound of justice rolling down like mighty waters. Raise up peacemakers who carry the gospel of reconciliation in their hearts and on their feet.
We pray for the church in the Middle East. You are remnant. Give them courage to speak truth and love. To embrace the suffering of their neighbors as their own.
Our Heavenly Father, we pray that You would allow swords to be turned into plowshares in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Beirut, Bethlehem, Cairo, Aman, Damascus and Turan. And remember Jerusalem, the city still longing for peace.
Father, remember Your word in the Psalms that You make war cease to the ends of the earth. May it be so in the Middle East.
In Jesus name, Amen.
