Prayer for Israel – Palestine 3

Historical Background of Israel – Palestine Conflict

To read the Historical Background of the Israel – Palestine conflict, check the first of the series of prayers.

Reflection

In Jeremiah 14, God and Jeremiah are having a conversation and God tells Jeremiah:

¹⁷ You shall say to them this word:
Let my eyes run down with tears night and day,
and let them not cease,
for the virgin daughter of my people is struck down with a crushing blow,
with a very grievous wound.

God cries for all the people who are being killed. Not only for those who believe in God, but even for those who do not. The jewish Talmud talks about the angels wanting to sing when the people of Israel are freed from the Egyptian slavery and the Egyptian army is drowning, but God stops them and says “How can you sing when my children are dying”.

Without taking sides, the violence that is happening in Israel – Palestine causes God to cry.
Should we sit idly by and watch God’s children destroy each other?
Should we not wipe away our tears and make a change so that God too can stop crying?
Should we not pray, at least, for the leaders who have the power to make peace instead of war?

Prayer

For Leaders
God who leads,
We pray for leaders in Israel and Palestine.
We pray for wisdom amidst the deep troubles and complexities of politics.
The power of the past.
The weight of office.
The price of decisions.
The pressure of their people and their competing needs.
The temptation of power.
The nagging of self-interest.
The cost of compromise.
Lead the leaders in your way.
Lead their people to call for leadership along paths towards peace.
God who leads,
We pray for leaders in Israel and Palestine.
We pray for wisdom amidst the deep troubles and complexities of politics.
May this prayer be shared.
Amen.

Other prayers:
Prayer 1
Prayer 2

This prayer was written by Rev. Jon Humphries and originally published on the Christ and Cultures Gathering website.