Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS) continue to advance throughout Iraq and Syria on a rampage that is now being called genocide. I’m horrified to hear about what is happening to Christians and other minorities. Canon Andrew White, the Vicar of Baghdad, has been sharing heart-breaking stories and suggests that Christians should pray and give money.
Keen to give money? Voice of the Martyrs, Bible Society and Anglican Aid.
Keen to pray? Canon White continues to suggest to pray for 3 things: protection; provision; and perseverance. Below is a prayer I have written to use in church around this three fold structure. Feel free to share, use and adapt:
Gracious Father,
you are our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
We ask that you would protect
our brothers and sisters around the world
suffering for the Name of Jesus.
Please be with Christians in Iraq
as they flee from persecution,
and face horror unimaginable.
Comfort them in their grief with your presence,
deliver them from evil.
Give wisdom to world leaders responding
to the Islamic State.As you provided for your people
wandering in the wilderness,
provide Iraqi Christians with their needs.
Enable emergency relief to be received
swiftly and without hindrance.
Thank you for the forgiveness of sin found only in Jesus,
may all of your people know of this provision
and cling to the Cross of Christ.
Thank you that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate your people from
your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.Give Iraqi Christians and all Christians,
by the work of your Holy Spirit,
the strength to endure to the end, looking to Jesus,
the founder and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is seated at your right hand.
We ask these things knowing that you can do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.
Be at work for your glory and the good of your people.
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
We really need to pray Psalm 66;7
I cannot understand that we stop there so. We prayed on Sunday, but we did not collect money for the persecuted sisters and brothers, we were not asked to pray and fast and give.
We have fallen so short for many years to look after the persecuted church. Is it too late now?
Will God use this as a wake up call for me and the church, will he have mercy and forgive us, will he be gracious and heal his church again. Thank you for your helpful insides, Hanna Collison
Hi Dave
You probably won’t post this on your website, which I can understand. I’m happy to be contacted via email.
I’m 28 years old, raised in a Christian family. Attended sunday school and church, and I’m familiar with the bible. Now my eyes are open and I have a few questions regarding the Christian belief:
1. Christians believe that their God is just, kind, loving, and merciful. However as I mature and start seeing the world in different perspectives, I cannot see the presence of a god that has all those flowery attributes. How would you respond to this? Please don’t say that God has his own plan and it is beyond our capacity to comprehend, because that is just a lazy and selfish respond.
2. With the advancement of science, we are now able to explain things scientifically without having to involve a supernatural force i.e. a creator god. How much do you actually believe in the bible’s story of creation which effectively includes a talking snake and that the world is only around 10000 years old?
3. Religions have been causing so many conflicts throughout history. The trend seems to be that every religion thinks that it is the one true religion and everything else is false. This somehow embeds a sense of superiority in the members of each religion, which is then used to justify violence etc. To be fair let’s not point our finger at Islam, since Christianity has had its fair share of violence in the past. Do you think that without religions we can have less things to differentiate each other on and therefore can bring us closer to peace?
4. Finally, to me it seems like the concept of a god was invented in the ancient world to explain natural phenomena e.g. the sun’s movement, diseases and plagues (curse from god), earthquake, volcano, etc. Unfortunately this has been carried forward until today through some excellent story telling and political agenda. How true do you think this theory is?
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Regards
Steven