In a September 2023 posting on the Tearfund website under the title Hearing God's word and whisper for global justice, Pete Greig argues that we must regard prayer as a conversation with God - and rather than "talking at him" we should start by listening to what he has to say to us. It is also relevant to our prayers for the more recent eruption of violence in Gaza and the ongoing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, that have generated much comment and practical support to the different parties involved from national leaders across the world.Prayer should be a two-way conversation, as exemplified by Jesus in his prayers during Holy Week when despite his anxiety about his forthcoming death he accepted that it was all part of his Father's plan for mankind. It is equally important that we seek to see the problems and issues in the world the way our God and Father does, and not to be unduly influenced by the wide range of opinions that surround us. To do this we need to immerse ourselves in understanding what our Heavenly Father has to say to us in the words of scripture. And to remember that Jesus' criticism of the scribes and pharisees was about their focus on their status and the trivia of religious practice while neglecting the poor and underprivileged, whom they perhaps regarded as undeserving.Pete Greig suggests that: 1. Our prayers should be a slow, painful conversation with the Lord who is already there in the midst of the suffering.2. When we fail to listen we may feel guilt and exhaustion because it’s utterly impossible to keep up with all the world’s problems.3. When we talk without listening our prayers are from our personal, subjective perspective - not necessarily the same as God’s!.He suggests three practical pointers, from his book How to Hear God, to help us grow in our ability to discern the voice of God.1. God speaks first and foremost through the Bible, so we must begin our search for his voice within its pages. Writings 2000 years ago could not imagine the world of the 21st century, but human nature and human needs are no different. So we must immerse ourselves in the Bible's teaching and listen for our Father to speak to us through it - as Pete Greig puts it, to listen for God's whisper. Especially in relation to the poor, oppressed and dispossessed - whether they are on our doorstep or half a world away from us. So, he writes, "we must begin by listening to God’s word about injustice in scripture with a willingness to be challenged."2. God's whisper in silence: Greig writes: When praying for justice, I try to begin by sitting quietly, wordlessly holding the situation before the Lord. In these moments of stillness I may sigh deeply, allowing the situation to affect my own heart and becoming aware, as I do so, that God is neither distant nor dispassionate. Learn to listen for the ‘still, small voice’ of God in the quietness. Listen for "God's whisper in the silence"3. God's word for us in the wider culture: Keep our eyes and ears open to anything God may be saying through the world he’s made. The great theologian Karl Barth argued that we need ‘the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.’ So we must listen for God’s word for those on the margins from those on the margins. We don’t have to travel far to find the voices of those who are disregarded, despised or oppressed. God himself speaks to us as we learn to listen carefully and prayerfully to their lives.The above material is a summary of material posted on the Tearfund website in September 2023 under the title Hearing God's word and whisper for global justice
A prayer for the Holy Land from the Archbishop of Canterbury, shared in October 2023A prayer for the people of the Holy LandGod of compassion and justice,We cry out to you for all who suffer in the Holy Land today. For your precious children, Israelis and Palestinians, traumatised and in fear for their lives; Lord, have mercy.For the families of the bereaved, for those who have seen images they will never forget, For those anxiously waiting for news, despairing with each passing day; Lord, have mercy.For young men and women, heading into combat, bearing the burden of what others have done and what they will be asked to do; Lord, have mercy.For civilians in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, that they would be protected, that every life would count, and be cherished and remembered; Lord, have mercy.For the wounded, and those facing a lifetime of scars, for those desperately seeking medical treatment where is none; Lord, have mercy.For medical and emergency personnel, risking their own lives to save those of others; Lord, have mercy.For those who cannot see anything but rage and violence, that you would surprise them with mercy, and turn their hearts towards kindness for their fellow human beings; Lord, have mercy.For people of peace, whose imagination is large enough to conceive of a different way, that they may speak, and act, and be heard; Lord, have mercy.Mighty and caring God, you promised that one day swords will be beaten into ploughshares, meet us in our distress, and bring peace upon this troubled land.Amen Prayer shared by the Archbishop of Canterbury, October 2023
The statement, reproduced in full below, deplores all violence against innocent civilians and urges us to pray for all involved, offering a copy of the prayer of Archbishop Naoum of Jerusalem. It can be viewed online via this linkWe have watched with horror the appalling violence that has taken place over the past days in Israel and Gaza as we have seen families devastated, communities shattered with countless lives lost.There is no justification for the intentional killing and hostage taking of innocent people. We join in the call for an immediate opening of a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to allow the safe delivery of food, water and medicine to those in dire need. We are all called to live side by side in peace and harmony, we pray with all of our hearts for those grieving the loss of loved ones, those who are living in terror, the many people whose lives are being torn apart, the injured and those without food and shelter.We encourage you to pray for peace and reconciliation, and for the de-escalation of the war in Israel and Gaza.We ask you to join in this prayer offered by Archbishop Naoum of Jerusalem:"O God of all justice and peace we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land. Be with those who need you in these days of suffering: we pray for people of all faiths – Jews, Muslims and Christians and for all people of the land. While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to violence and the establishment of peace, we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples. Guide us into your kingdom where all people are treated with dignity and honour as your children, to all of us, you are our Heavenly Father. In Jesus' name we pray.Amen +Helen-Ann Newcastle+Mark Berwick
Five life lessons from Mother Teresahttps://www.wordonthestreets.net/Articles/667234/5_life_lessons.aspx)1. Never Quit. She persevered through all the adversities that she knew in her life. 2. Embrace the Power of Prayer. She said that if you're too busy to pray, you're too busy. For her, it all began with prayer. 3. Age with dignity: She delighted in old age. She knew that she had come from God and she was going home to God and that was the secret to how she aged with dignity. 4. Find Joy in Serving Others: She said that a life not lived for others was not worth living. She lived for others and derived great joy from her relationships. 5. We Need Each Other: She knew that we were made to love and to be loved, and this was our primary need. She lived it out, loving others and allowing them to love her, particularly as she aged and became more dependent on those who cared for her.With acknowledgements to Word on the Streets, https://www.wordonthestreets.net, from whose recent email this piece was sourced
