Sabeel Wave of Prayer: Week of Aug. 8, 2016
Wave of Prayer: This prayer ministry enables local and international friends of Sabeel to pray over regional concerns on a weekly basis. Sent to Sabeel’s network of supporters, the prayer is used in services around the world and during Sabeel’s Thursday Communion service; as each community in its respective time zone lifts these concerns in prayer at noon every Thursday, this “wave of prayer” washes over the world.
Israeli lawmakers have legalized the imprisonment of Palestinian minors as young as 12 in case they are convicted of grave crimes such as “acts of terrorism against the state of Israel.” The so-called Youth Law has already faced criticism in Israel and abroad.
Lord, the children shouted in the temple courts “Hosanna” (save us now) with faith when you overturned the tables of the money changers and challenged the injustice. The children today shout “Hosanna” from unjust systems that ignore The Convention on the Rights of the Child. Lord, we pray Israeli lawmakers will treat Palestinian children as they treat their own children. Lord in your mercy…
An Israeli border police officer was suspended after being caught on camera throwing a Palestinian eight-year old girl’s bike into a thorny bush. A second officer caught on camera confiscating the bicycle goes unpunished. The officer claimed he was trying to prevent the eight-year old from entering a Jewish street.
Lord, in the rest of the world children have fun and enjoy riding their bikes. In segregated Hebron, bike rides are a dangerous thing. Lord, we pray you would help the children being bullied by the Israeli army, and strengthen the international presence in Hebron to defend them. Lord in your mercy…
More than 300 Palestinian political prisoners have taken part in separate hunger strikes at Israeli prisons to voice their outrage over mistreatment, and show solidarity with Bilal Kayed. Bilal Kayed has been on hunger strike for over 57 days in protest of his administrative detention after he completed serving his fourteen- and- a half prison sentence.
Lord, the writer of Hebrews asks us to remember those in prison as if we were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if we are the ones suffering (Hebrews 13:3). Lord, Palestinian prisoners in chains were the first to feel the suffering and show solidarity with Bilal Kayed. Lord, we pray we may also stand in solidarity and be faithful to your message. Lord in your mercy…
Lord, we are thankful for the continuing Sabeel contextual bible study sessions with the community in Palestine. We, specifically, raise before you the commitment of the Jerusalem women who met at the Sabeel office, last Monday, to reflect on the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Lord in your mercy….
As last week, the World Council of Churches prayer cycle is dedicated to the 16 poor countries of Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago; We also pray alongside the World Council of Churches for the two rich countries of Canada and the Unites states of America. Lord in your mercy…