Few places in our world are more racked by tension than the Middle East. The region remains a maelstrom of hatred, suspicion and violence, and seems destined ever to do so. With the West having played a large part in the unstable politics of this troubled part of the world, we have a duty to inform ourselves about the situation, and to pray always for a just resolution to the conflict. That’s the theme of the following – a prayer for the Middle East taken from my recent book Intercessions for a Hurting World.
Lord of all,
hear our prayer for the Middle East,
still racked today by so much tension and hatred.
We pray for the peoples of Palestine, Israel, Lebanon,
Syria, Iran and Iraq,
and of other nations surrounding these,
each coexisting uneasily together.
Bring harmony.
Bring lasting peace.
We pray for victims in the region of intolerance,
of violence,
of oppression,
of persecution.
Bring harmony.
Bring lasting peace.
We pray for an end to religious and political extremism,
to civil war and feuding,
to fear and suspicion,
to resorting to the bullet and bomb rather than constructive dialogue.
Bring harmony.
Bring lasting peace.
We pray for politicians and leaders in the area,
and for those in the wider world with influence upon it.
Help them to see beyond narrow religious and factional interest,
beyond long-held prejudice and traditional stereotypes,
and truly to seek a path towards respect,
reconciliation
and justice for all.
Bring harmony.
Bring lasting peace.
Amen.
Father, hear our prayer.
Amen