Sabeel Wave of Prayer: Week of Jan. 5, 2026
Israel recently suspended 37 humanitarian organizations, including Doctors Without Borders and CARE, from operating in Gaza for failing to comply with its new registration rules. These rules included disqualifying organizations that have called for boycotts against Israel or expressed support for any of the international court cases against Israeli soldiers or leaders. Organizations were also disqualified for refusing to disclose detailed information on their Palestinian staff in fear of their safety. The United Nations and many aid groups denounced this crackdown, warning that it would only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
God of mercy and justice, we pray for all humanitarian workers who choose compassion in times of war. Protect those who heal, feed, and shelter the suffering, and guard the dignity of the people they serve. Where aid is blocked and fear is used as control, let justice and mercy prevail. Strengthen those who speak truth, soften the hearts of those in power, and let life overcome cruelty.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Last week, amid the rubble of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, a cohort of 168 Palestinian doctors, received their advanced medical certifications in a graduation ceremony symbolizing their resilience and determination for life. The graduates had studied and sat for examinations while working nonstop inside Gaza’s hospitals for over two years, with many being injured, arrested, or having family members killed. The ceremony included empty chairs displaying photographs of healthcare workers killed during the war.
Holy God, we give thanks to the doctors and healthcare workers of Gaza who teach us how to love. Be with them and protect them and their families as they work tirelessly to rebuild. May their example ignite in us a determination to show life and hope to others.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
News of settler violence in the West Bank continues to be constant and horrific. Near Bethlehem, Illegal Israeli settlers, backed by army forces, injured at least 15 Palestinians and stormed a mosque. In a village near Hebron, the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported that settlers killed three sheep and injured four more, smashed a door and a window of the home, and fired tear gas inside, sending three Palestinian children under the age of 4 to the hospital. Injuries, deaths, and property damage are becoming a daily and frequent reality.
Good God, we come before you grieving this news. We remember that “in arrogance the wicked persecute the poor— let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.” (Psalm 10:1-2) In the face of injustice, we declare you are a just and righteous God who sees all evil deeds and will deliver us from our oppression. As we pray to you in lament, we ask you to be with the displaced and suffering. Help us to be better witnesses to the injustices occurring in the West Bank.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Last week, 201 Jewish extremists stormed the Al Aqsa mosque compound in morning and evening incursions. Israeli police and soldiers accompanied the intruders offering them protection. Under the status quo, non-Muslims may visit the site in coordination with Mosque authorities but not allowed to perform religious practices. Therefore, actions by Israeli officials to illegally storm the site are an attempt to provoke Palestinians and cause fear among them that Israel intends to take over the site.
God of justice and peace, we pray that places of worship may never be used to justify theft, domination, or oppression. Guard holy sites from provocation and violence, and protect all who seek to pray without fear. Teach us to honor one another across faiths, to respect the law and international law, and to uphold the dignity of every people.
Let love overcome hatred, restraint replace provocation, and peace prevail over power.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
Sabeel’s first online Thursday Service for 2026 begins on 8th January at 6 PM Palestine time featuring Rev. Don Wagner. Those interested in attending the weekly services can register here. Playbacks of Thursday Services can be found weekly on Sabeel’s newsletter, here.
God of light, we thank you for the unity of our movement, functioning as one body with many parts. We pray for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit as we meet weekly to discern your Gospel and humbly make sense of it in the face of empire’s oppression today. Through our discussions and bible studies, strengthen us to be active agents of your liberation and love.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer
We join the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the people of Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine.
Lord in your mercy…hear our prayers