Prayer for the Middle East, a live prayer thread for 7/19

possible nudging from a higher power than I | 7/19/06 | Knitting a Conundrum

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Woke up this morning with a sense of foreboding about the day, and the little still voice in my heart said, "You really ought to being doing serious prayer today for the Middle East, for Israel, for the innocent and even for those you know who are your enemies."

I haven't been able to shake this, so here I am, asking those who feel so moved, to join me in a call to prayer for this day, for those in harm's way, that the Lord's will be done.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

[Knitting A Conundrum]

In our hour of weakness, Lord,
soften our hearts,
pierce through our anger
and tears
and self-righteousness
and guilt
and fear,
that we may lift our eyes
to that hill
where comes our help.

Lord,
be this day with those of us who are facing
the death of all we have loved,
as we paw through the rubble of our lives
with bleeding hands,
searching in grief and sadness.
Open the doors we need,
and in our unconsolable moment,
hold us tight
in the palm of your hand.

And may those of us this day
blessed not to be suffering under the burden of crisis,
hear your call
to be your hands, and feet, and voice
and respond as you would have us do.

Amen.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

If you feel so inclined, please join me today in a live thread prayer thread for this world in crisis.

[AliVeritas]

How long, O Lord... How long.

[Bigg Red]

Prayers sent for the Holy Land and God's Chosen People

[EternalHope]

Thanks for starting this thread.

This is the prayer I use for the really big stuff. The things that are so big, so difficult, so awful, that I simply do not know where to start. It works even when I don't have a clue what to ask for. It works because God always listens, and He always gets the answer right.

Dear Lord, please help.

I pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Thank you Lord.

Amen.

The Lord does a better job of filling in the rest than I ever could.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High,
who abides in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the LORD,
"My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust."

For he will deliver you
from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence;
he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand;
but it will not come near you.

You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD your refuge,
the Most High your habitation,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
For he will give his angels charge of you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

"Because he cleaves to me in love,
I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
and show him my salvation."

Psalm 91

(thanks, Allegra for pointing me to this one.)

[Tax-chick]

What a great idea!

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,
May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
And security within your towers."
(Ps. 128)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

My two favorite prayers for when the anxiety is more than I can bear and words escape me:

Be it done to me according to your word.

Not my will, but yours.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Lord, as the tension mounts
and the waiting grows so hard,
when times are rough
be with us,
be our shepherd,
let your rod and staff comfort us,
prepare that place for us
in the midst our our enemies,
lead us beside the calm waters that come
from trust in thee,
restore our soul when we feel like screaming,
for thou art with us,
even though we walk through the dark valleys
we will fear no evil,
you anoint us with the oil of your blessing.
Goodness and mercy will come from our trust in thee,
and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish thou the righteous,
Thou who triest the minds and hearts,
Thou righteous God.

My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
If a man does not repent,
God will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.

Behold, the wicked man conceives evil,
and is pregnant with mischief,
and brings forth lies.
He makes a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole which he has made.
His mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own pate his violence descends.

I will give to the LORD
the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD,
the Most High.

Psalm 7: 9-17

[Knitting A Conundrum]

You might be interested in this thread, prayer warriors. I haven't put up the daily list yet cause I was moved to start this one.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Amid all the fear and anger,
encircled by the pain and hurt
the shortsightedness,
the xenophobia,
the determination,
using might to make right
or at least to fulfill the agenda,
I kneel here, knowing
that no matter what,
you are with me.

And though it looks like
we are dwelling in
the valley of the shadow of death,
where bandits hide in ambush,
and darkness shelters those
who despise the truth,
and peace seems like such a dream,
you are the lamp
who is willing to guide each step I make,
until you bring me safely home.

[esoteric]

My favorite in times such as these......
"Be still and know that I am God" Ps46.10

[trillabodilla]

Praying and Bumping

[infool7]

Amen

[jackv]

Thanks knitting!

I pray pray pray for Israel and for the peace of Jerusalem.

God help all of us to remain at peace thououghout all of this and trust in Your Will. Please cover those in need with your devine protection.

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shahows of the Almighty!!
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety. He is MY GOD and I am trusting Him" Psalms 91

Amen

[SE Mom]

" Blessed is the nation whose God is
the Lord, the people who he chose
for his inheritance"...

Psalm 33- 4

[SE Mom]

Wrong verse from my above post- It is Psalm 33 verse 12

[heartwood]

Protect your people of Israel, Lord. Protect the innocents and the little ones. Change the hearts that are filled with hate and rage. In the name of Jesus we pray.

[AliVeritas]

When that day comes,
the mountains will run with new wine
and the hills flow with milk,
and all the river beds of Judah will run with water.
A fountain will spring from the house of Yahweh
to water the wadi of Acacias.
Egypt will become a desolation,
Edom a desert waste on account of the violence done to the sons of Judah
whose innocent blood they shed in their country.
But Judah will be inhabited for ever,
Jerusalem from age to age
'I will avenge their blood and let none go unpunished',
and Yahweh shall make his home in Zion.

Joel 4:18