The turning point?

Some say we have reached the turning point in this war, but any talk of victory seems hollow and inappropriate when we consider just how much has been lost.

Lord, we grieve for the loss of lives in this war, for the men and women and children who now face the future without the people they so loved. Comfort those who mourn, we pray.

Lord, we grieve for the destruction of homes, buildings and neighbourhoods and the infrastructure of Iraq. We pray for the rebuilding of this country. Lord, in your mercy, restore to Iraq the years that sanctions and war have stolen.

Lord, we mourn the loss of trust that this invasion has caused - between people and governments, nations and the UN, Muslims and Christians, the West and the rest of the world. Help us, Lord, as far as it depends on us, to live at peace with everyone and to rebuild the relationships that have been broken.

Prayer by Jenny Baker

Comfort those who grieve

Jesus

We are told that when your friend Lazarus died, you cried.

It is a strange and miraculous thing that we can pray to a God who has felt hot tears of helpless grief run down his face, who has felt the pain and loss heave and well up inside as if it would break him.

Jesus, comfort those who grieve today. Thousands of people now, who in just a fortnight have lost sons and daughters and mothers and fathers and husbands and wives.

They have no visitor who will call out their Lazarus from the grave. But may they have a friend who will grieve with them and comfort them.

Prayer by Stephen Tomkins

Give wisdom

Lord, all around us swirl news reports, opinions, diagrams, rumours, speculation, assertions and debates about this war. We dip into them and wonder whether we can say with confidence that we know anything about anything.

Lord we are awash with information and yet so desperately short of wisdom.

Father God, give us wisdom to know how to pray and how to act from the comfort of our homes for those suffering in Iraq.

Father God, give wisdom to those who have the authority and power to make decisions in the US, the UK, Iraq and across the world. May the awesome responsibility that they carry weigh heavily on them, so they do not make those decisions lightly.

Father God, give wisdom to those fighting in Iraq, that death, destruction and damage may be minimised, and that soldiers and civilians of all nationalities may recognise in each other their common humanity.

Father God, give us your wisdom.

Prayer by Jenny Baker

Suicide bomber

Jesus, as the first Iraqi suicide bomber has attacked, we seem to have a glance of the despair and anger of the Iraqi people that we can hardly imagine.

And as other Arab states threaten to send their own suicide bombers, even we in the sheltered West have reason to fear what this war may be unleashing. Now maybe it is not quite so hard to imagine the fear the Iraqis feel themselves.

Jesus, you lived yourself in violent times, between the occupying army and the resistance fighters. You understand the despair, the anger and the fear. Help those in command to understand it too and not to brush it aside.

Prayer by Steve Tomkins

For the peace of Iraq

We pray, Jesus, for the peace of Iraq.

We pray for an end to the war that is devastating cities and killing adults and children, soldiers and civilians. We pray for Tony Blair's meeting with the UN Secretary General and the continuing UN discussions, that these will bring peace closer.

We pray for decision makers in the armies and governments involved, that voices of restraint and justice will prevail. May the 350 civilian deaths so far be the end and not merely the beginning.

We pray for the organisations struggling against weather and military obstacles to bring food, water and blankets to the cities and refugee camps.

We pray, Jesus, for the peace of Iraq.

Prayer by Steve Tomkins

An end to suffering

Hear the anguish, God of hosts, of all who call out in pain:
heed the cries of those in Basra who need water,
heed the cries of those in Baghdad who need medicine,
heed the cries of the Kurdish people who need justice,
heed the cries of soldiers' families who need consolation.
Bring an end to the suffering, we pray, O God of hosts.
Amen.

Prayer by Peter Graystone / Christian Aid

The people of Baghdad

Now that war has come, Jesus, in all its horror, we pray for those who know that horror for themselves in ways we cannot imagine.

We pray for the people of Baghdad.

We pray for those who yesterday had homes and today have none.

We pray for those who yesterday had friends or family that they will now be without forever.

We pray for those who are yet untouched, but do not know what tomorrow will bring.

Be with them, Jesus.

Prayer by Steve Tomkins

Jesus said...

"God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children!" (Matthew 5:9).

"You have heard people say, 'Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.' But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:43-48).

"Live at peace with each other" (Mark 9:50).