Call to Prayer

Over the weekend, the world was rocked by the vicious terror attacks on Paris. Since then, there have been displays of solidarity with France – world leaders coming out in rightful condemnation, famous monuments around the world displaying the French flag, social media full of people calling for prayer for the people of Paris and France, and outpourings of grief, and also fear, in France itself.

But there are also questions being asked by a growing number of people too – why is there none of this outpouring of rage and grief over the bombings in Beirut just two days earlier? Why was there hardly a mention of the suicide bomb that went off, killing many people in Baghdad just yesterday? Why don’t world leaders come out in condemnation of these terror attacks, which have just as much impact on the lives and nations of those affected by them?

Why isn’t there a world wide call to prayer for the nations of Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Lebanon?

Our God loves these nations and these people just as He loves the nation and people of France. No more, and certainly no less …

And our Father’s heart grieves for many who are without hope in all of this, because they do not know the God who sees them and loves them.

Our response should be more than just righteous condemnation. The bombings in Paris and the Middle East this last weekend should be a wake up call to us as God’s people – a call to come together with one heart to pray – to fall on our knees before our Father’s throne and intercede for all the nations of this world who are caught up in a war of fear, despair, hopelessness and deception.

We so underrate the power of prayer, but now is the time to realise that we are called to pray in faith, knowing and believing that God alone has the power to save, to heal and to restore hope, even in the darkest of places.

And Heaven moves when we, His people join together and pray.

• Pray for those in Baghdad, Beirut and Paris who are grieving the loss of family and friends, that they will come to know the healing comforting love of Christ Jesus.
• Pray for those living in daily fear of bombings and violence, to come to know the perfect Love of God that casts out all fear.
• Pray for the aftermath of the bombing, especially that there will not be a reaction against legitimate refugees and Muslim communities. Pray for the Church and for Christians in these countries to lead the way in reaching hands of friendship and love towards these people, and not allowing hatred or bitterness to dictate their reactions.
• Pray for the governments of Europe, to make wise decision in regards security in the light of the Paris attacks.
• Pray for peace across the Middle East, and for God’s intervention in the hearts of those who seek to do harm.

James 5 vs 16: “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective”

2 Chronicles 7 vs 14: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”