Pray with Palestine, October 26, 2025

Lectionary Selection: Luke 18: 9-14

Prayers for Palestine

Gracious God, during his ministry, your son, Jesus Christ, taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” Today, these words have a different meaning for us in Palestine. Each day, we hear reports and see horrifying images of starvation spreading through Gaza. When we look to our siblings in Gaza, our people in Jerusalem and the West Bank now pray, “Give them their daily bread.”

Lord, when our people are starving, we cry out to you for help. Bring food to the hungry and water to the thirsty. Open the eyes of the world so that they may witness the suffering of your children and act. Soften the hearts of leaders so that they may become advocates for peace.

Loving God, give us today our daily bread. Nourish us with the bread of life that comes from you. Strengthen us to serve our community and to be voices for peace and justice in our homeland.

We pray in the name of our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Mission Moment from Palestine

Last November, we opened the new kitchen at our Diaconal Center in Beit Jala, in the West Bank. Now, community members come to the Center each week for hot, home-cooked meals prepared and served by our Diaconal Ministry team. As the genocide in Gaza continues, the economic situation in Jerusalem and the West Bank becomes more desperate every day. Many of the people we serve have been without work for over two years. Parents are choosing between buying food and paying for electricity. Our siblings are going hungry. Jesus calls us to be God’s hands in the world and to care for his children. As a church, being able to provide a fresh, healthy, and hot meal to whoever comes to our door is part of our mission. Our partnership with Global Ministries is one of the things that empowers us to continue this vital work in Palestine.

Written by Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

Mission Partners in Palestine/Israel

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