God,
There should have been just one to note:
The Beirut explosion and all traumatized.
A moment of silence, a moment of rage.
Indeed thousands rallied for justice, for grief.
And with them the pledges of nations in concert,
Millions of dollars that may one day come.
But God this outpouring so quickly was sandwiched;
Explosions anew that distract and destroy.
Revenge killings rattled the south of the capital,
Sunni tribes with the Shiite militia in charge.
And then unclaimed rockets were launched cross the border,
Prompting response by the Zionist state.
And thus in deterrence, resistance demanded
That several more rockets strike enemy soil.
This time to be claimed by the Shiite militia,
Though with harsh condemnation, and local Druze angst.
God, keep the peace.
God, keep the focus.
Not that politicians neglect the explosion:
They call to reveal who sourced it to port.
They call to remove all official immunity.
But no one has done so; no one takes charge.
God, how long must we wait until your detonation,
Your anger to pour on the guilty entire?
Or have you already denounced the whole nation,
As David once chose for the plague to strike all?
But his heart was trusting: Your mercy is greater,
And better your hand than the enemy’s sword.
But might southern rockets invite more destruction?
Might localized strife escalate civil war?
God, we pray for justice.
God, we long for peace.
Your wrath can flare up in a moment.
Your patience is what we all need.
God, balance Lebanon in your wisdom,
And grant every citizen—rest.
Amen.
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Lebanon Prayer places before God the major events of the previous week, asking his favor for the nation living through them.
It seeks for values common to all, however differently some might apply them. It honors all who strive on her behalf, however suspect some may find them.
It offers no solutions, but desires peace, justice, and reconciliation. It favors no party, but seeks transparency, consensus, and national sovereignty.
How God sorts these out is his business. Consider joining in prayer that God will bless the people and establish his principles, from which all our approximations derive.
Lebanon Prayer places before God the major events of the previous week, asking his favor for the nation living through them.
It seeks for values common to all, however differently some might apply them. It honors all who strive on her behalf, however suspect some may find them.
It offers no solutions, but desires peace, justice, and reconciliation. It favors no party, but seeks transparency, consensus, and national sovereignty.
How God sorts these out is his business. Consider joining in prayer that God will bless the people and establish his principles, from which all our approximations derive.
Sometimes prayer can generate more prayer. While mine is for general principles, you may have very specific hopes for Lebanon. You are welcome to post these here as comments, that others might pray with you as you place your desires before God.
If you wish to share your own prayer, please adhere to the following guidelines:
1) The sincerest prayers are before God alone. Please consult with God before posting anything.
2) If a prayer of hope, strive to express a collective encouragement.
3) If a prayer of lament, strive to express a collective grief.
4) If a prayer of anger, refrain from criticizing specific people, parties, sects, or nations. While it may be appropriate, save these for your prayers alone before God.
5) In every prayer, do your best to include a blessing.
I will do my best to moderate accordingly. Thank you for praying for Lebanon and her people.
Jayson Casper 