Sabeel joins the World Council of Churches in calling for the release of Laya Nasir, a member of the Anglican Church, who has been under administrative detention since April 2024 without legal charges or due process. We also join the WCC in calling for the protection of Jerusalem as a place where freedom of worship is respected.

Merciful and Just God, we lift our voices in prayer, joining with the World Council of Churches as we call for the release of Laya Nasir, one of many members of our community who are being unjustly held in administrative detention without charges or due process. Lord, we ask that justice may prevail and that she may be reunited with her loved ones in freedom and peace. We also pray for the protection of Jerusalem, the holy city, that it may remain a place where the freedom of worship is upheld and respected for all. May Your peace and justice reign in this sacred land.

Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.

Last week, the country of Colombia banned coal exports to Israel in an effort “to pressure the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the conflict in Gaza.” The Colombian president said that Israel uses Colombian coal to make bombs to kill Palestinian children. Colombia is Israel’s largest coal supplier. In May, Colombia suspended diplomatic relations with Israel. Other countries, like Scotland, have also suspended meetings with the Israeli government until significant “progress” is made in negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

God of Justice and Peace, we come before You with heavy hearts, seeking Your guidance and wisdom in these troubled times. We pray for justice, for the end of violence, and for the protection of innocent lives. We pray for an end to the suffering of all specially children and all who are caught in the crossfire. Let Your justice roll down like waters and Your righteousness like a mighty stream, bringing peace where there has been pain and hope where there has been despair.

Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.

Last week, hundreds of activists gathered in Chicago outside the Democratic National Convention to protest the Democratic administration’s involvement in and support of the genocide in Gaza. Police in riot gear were posted outside the building and violently arrested protesters, including journalists.

Gracious and Loving God, we come before You with hearts full of gratitude for the courage and dedication of all those who stand up for justice, peace, and the end to violence. We especially lift up the hundreds of activists who gathered in Chicago, risking their safety to speak truth to power and bring attention to the suffering in Gaza. We thank You for their unwavering commitment to justice, even in the face of adversity, and for their willingness to be a voice for the voiceless. We pray for their protection, for their strength, and for their continued resolve to work for a world where peace and justice reign.

Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.

Last week, Defence for Children International Palestine released a report detailing Israel’s widespread policy of “detaining and torturing” Palestinian children in Gaza. The report, which says some children have been used as human shields, cites children who say they have been subjected to systemic torture and abuse.

O Merciful and Just Creator, we come before You with heavy hearts, grieving for the innocent lives caught in the chains of oppression. We despair and hold righteous anger at a world that has accepted the abuse of our children. We lift up the children of Gaza, whose voices cry out from the depths of suffering, asking for Your divine intervention. Holy Spirit, be with them in their moments of despair and heal their wounds. Guide us to seek accountability for the oppressors and uphold the dignity of all life.

Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.

Last week, Israel committed new massacres in Gaza, including at the Mustafa Hafez school, that killed dozens of Palestinians, the majority of whom were children. The Israeli army also issued evacuation orders in the central Gazan city of Deir al-Balah, once again leaving families with nowhere to go as Israel expands its war.

God of peace, comfort the families of those killed and grant peace to the injured. Protect the families as they continue seeking shelter and necessities. Grant the oppressed justice and liberation. Lord, empower our institutions and leaders to do justice. In our despair, we echo the Psalmist’s confidence in Psalm 72:12: “For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.”

Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.

On August 15, 2024, Israeli settlers began constructing an illegal outpost on a section of the Tent of Nations farm, which is owned by the Nassar family. Almost daily, Israeli military forces, security personnel, or settlers attempt to prevent the Nassar family from working on their farm and have damaged the farm’s fences. The Tent of Nations urges its supporters to contact their elected officials and governments to pressure the Israeli military authorities to ensure the Nassar family has free access to their farm.

O Lord, giver of life and source of freedom, you have called us to be stewards of Your abundance, not to conquer or destroy. We thank you for the witness of the Nassar family, who have embodied what it means to be generous, faithful caretakers of the gifts you have entrusted to us. As they seek justice and truth, we ask that you continue to protect them. Oh, Holy Spirit, continue to fill them with Sumud to continue to stand as strong as the olive trees.

Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.

Sabeel Jerusalem hosted a delegation of Christians 4 Ceasefire. The delegation visited communities around Palestine and Israel, with hopes of returning to their homes with renewed commitment and advocacy. 

Beloved Creator, we are grateful for the opportunity to bring our brothers and sisters to this land called holy, even in these challenging times. We thank you for your protective hand over this delegation and ask that you grant them the courage and wisdom to turn their witness into powerful advocacy when they return home. Lord, make us instruments of your love, bearing witness to Christ the liberator. 

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer. 

 Last week, UNRWA restored a major water well in Khan Younis, Gaza that was destroyed months ago by Israeli military operations. The well now serves as the largest supply of drinking water for displaced Palestinians in the area, pumping out more than 500 cubic metres (17,657 cubic feet) of water per day. Despite its impact, water access in most of Gaza remains scarce, with many families forced to travel long distances in search of water. 

O God, the giver of life, we thank you for the restoration of the water well in Khan Younis, a vital source of hope for the people of Gaza. As this well now brings life-giving water to many, we pray for all those who still struggle to access this basic necessity.  
Strengthen those who work tirelessly to provide for their communities, and grant relief to families who travel far for water. May justice flow like water across Gaza, bringing peace and healing to all who thirst. In your mercy, sustain and protect the people of Gaza. 

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer. 

Last week, which also marked the 75th year anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinked approved a new batch of arms sales worth over $20 billion to Israel. This comes at a time of mounting criticism of the Biden administration and in the wake of reports of numerous Israeli violations of international law and human rights, including  horrifying massacres of civilians on schools and camps in Gaza, torture of Palestinian detainees , and settler violence in the occupied West Bank. 

O God of justice, we lift up the Palestinian people who endure unimaginable suffering—children in schools, families in camps, and detainees in prisons. As violence continues, fueled by the sale of arms and the silence of leaders, we pray for your intervention. Grant justice where there is oppression, peace where there is violence, and strength to those who suffer. May the world awaken to their cries and act with righteousness. 

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer. 

Last week, Israel arrested 30 Palestinians, including a female student, in its latest round of raids throughout the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society. Most of those detained were taken from the Hebron governorate. Since October 7, Israel has made more than 10,100 arrests throughout the West Bank, holding many in administrative detention. 

God of Justice, you know what it is like to be incarcerated under empire. You were with Joseph when he was imprisoned, and Your spirit visited Paul during his incarceration. Oh Holy Spirit, comfort the victims of cruelty and their families. Be with them in their moments of pain and anguish and kindle in them a light of hope. As we pray for those  taken from their homes throughout Palestine, we remember the words of Isaiah 61:1: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners.” 

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer.