Prayer for People in Haiti and Afghanistan

Friends,

Our words are insufficient to describe the tremendous suffering, anxiety, and fear that people in Haiti and Afghanistan are experiencing at this very moment. Unfortunately, and sadly, they might had lost their family member, friend, or house, and maybe their health, dream, or hope. Let’s lift our hands to our almighty and al-loving God, bend our knees to beg for his mercy and compassion, and ask him to restore order in those battle grounds, to strengthen their body, mind, and spirit, and to deliver them from the terrible effects of the earthquake and from their brutal and wicked adversaries. In humility and respect, we pray that God’s goodness may be revealed in the places of dark valleys and shadows and that they may be founded by the one true God who can transform their lives and give them a new beginning, new hope, and new dream in Jesus Christ.

I offer the words of Jeremiah:

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him” (Lam. 3:19-24, NIV).

“I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left. God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It’s a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times. When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The ‘worst’ is never the worst” (Lam. 3:24-30, The Message).

May God restore their losses through his fullness that fills everything in unique and glorious ways.

Amen.