Praying for an Hour: Part 2...Wait

Wait on the Lord: Be Still And Silent Before God

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

What does it mean to wait?  Grab a dictionary and look it up. 

Is this an easy or difficult type of prayer for me? Why?

How often do I pray this way?

Search for wait in the Bible. Read the verses that use this word. 

What is God teaching you about waiting? 

Praying for an Hour: Introduction and Part 1...Worship

Introduction

Did you know: We can pray for an hour by focusing on one type of prayer for 5 minutes! After using 12 types of prayer, our hour is up! 

For the next 6 months, we are going to slowly work our way through the prayer wheel I referenced towards the end of the dedicated focus to praying the news. There are several online resources about praying for an hour. A good search phrase is "The Hour That Changes the World" or "prayer wheel". 

Worship: Worship God For Who He Is

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;” Psalm 95:6

What does it mean to worship? Grab a dictionary and look it up. 

Is this an easy or difficult type of prayer for me? Why? 

How often do I pray this way? 

Search for worship in the Bible. Read the verses that use this word. 

What is God teaching you about worship? 

Praying with a Gratitude Sandwich

One way that we can pray is to pray using a "gratitude sandwich". For every request (the meat of the request), we surround it with two praises (the bread of the prayer). 

This challenges us to look for ways that God has blessed us, even as we are making petitions of God. 

It has the added benefit of weighting our prayers towards thanksgiving instead of requests. There is nothing wrong with making requests of God, and indeed He wants us to cast our cares on Him. Yet, we aren't always aware of how many requests and how much thanksgiving we have in our prayer.

So let us write out our requests, but then sandwich them in grateful praises. 

What Percentage of Our Prayers?

What percentage of our prayers is praise and worship of God? 
What percentage of our prayers is intercessions and petitions (and demands) for God to do something?

What percentage of our prayers is listening and waiting on the Lord? 

What percentage of our prayers is songs and thanksgiving? 

What percentage of our prayers is confession of guilt and sin? 

What percentage of our prayers is Scripture being prayed back to God? 

What percentage of our prayers is from watching what's around us and what's going on in the world? 

What percentage of our prayers is contemplation and mediation of God's character? 

 

What percentage of our prayers is about family members and friends? 

What percentage of our prayers is about things in our city? Our state? Our Country? 

What percentage of our prayers is for people in Africa? 

What percentage of our prayers is for people in Asia? 

What percentage of our prayers is for people in Australia and Oceania? 

What percentage of our prayers is for people in Central America?

What percentage of our prayers is for people in Europe? 

What percentage of our prayers is for people in the Middle East?  

What percentage of our prayers is for people in South America? 

What percentage of our prayers is for people in North America? 

What percentage of our prayers is for Christians? 

What percentage of our prayers is for non-Christians? 

What percentage of our prayers is for the poor, the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the oppressed, those on the margins of society? 

What percentage of our prayers do we notice being answered? 

Shaking Things Up: Praising through the Alphabet

From time to time, we will look at a new way of praying, just as a way to shake things up and avoid getting stuck in a rut. Today, we will consider of we can pray our way through the alphabet as we praise God.

Take a piece of paper (or use a computer document to type all this) and write the letters of the alphabet down the side. 

Then start brainstorming titles, adjectives, and attributes of God. If we come up with more than one for a letter, that's perfectly alright.

After a bit, we might notice a few letters that have been neglected. We can specifically focus on those to try to fill in the gaps.

A- Almighty, Alpha

B- Bountiful

C- Christ

D- Defender

E- Exalted

F- Fierce

G- God

H- Holy

I- Inexhaustible

J- Just, Judge

K- King

L- Lord
M- Messiah
N- Near
O- Omega
P- Priest
Q- Qualified
R- Redeemer
S- Savior
T- Truth
U- Unyielding
V- Valiant
W- Way
X- Xenodochial (friendly to strangers)
Y-  Yahwah
Z- Zealous

If we need help, a website like AdjectivesThatStart.com can help us discover a fitting word. I simply searched "nouns starting with Y" since I couldn't think of anything on my own. Then I realized there was an obvious one that I didn't think of. 

By focusing on the titles, characteristics, and attributes of God, we can praise Him in this unique exercise. 

Praying for the Vulnerable

As we pray for those we know and love during this pandemic, let's remember to pray for those who are vulnerable too.

Pray for those working risky jobs, whether interacting with the public, working with the sick, or some other job.

Pray for those who are vulnerable in their health and therefore at a higher risk to catch the virus or have a more severe sickness.

Pray for those who are working the "essential" yet poorly paid jobs: grocery workers, gas station attendants, farm workers, employees in meat-packing plants. 

Pray for those seeking refuge and asylum, especially as they are facing overcrowded and inhumane conditions. 

Pray for those who are unable to advocate for themselves, whether due to a disability, language barrier, or other issue. 

Pray for those who are grieving, mourning, and brokenhearted.

Pray for those who are anxious, worried, and stressed. 

Pray for the poor and the poor in spirit. 

Pray for the hungry, the thirsty, and the needy. 

Pray for people who have been reduced down to an adjective "homeless", "illegal", "refugee", etc. 

Pray for those the Bible specifically tells us to pray for: 

Pray for those who are sick or in prison (see Hebrews 13:3). 

Pray for your enemies and your persecutors (see Matthew 5:44)

Pray for little children (see Matthew 19:13)

Pray for those who mistreat you (see Luke 6:28)

Pray for those who don't know what to pray for (see Romans 8:26)

Pray for all the Lord's people (see Ephesians 6:18)

Praying Big Prayers

When I was in college, my campus minister encouraged us to pray big prayers. He warned us that we could get so caught up in praying for physical problems that we would neglect praying for spiritual matters. His message concluded "Do not just pray through a medical textbook. Pray big prayers." 

Imagine you live next door to a world class chef, who generously offers to cook you anything that you want every single evening. And every single day, when the chef asks you what you want, you request some form of potatoes. There are a great many ways to prepare a potato, but we aren't experiencing the full talents of this chef. In the same way, we should be praying a variety of prayers and noticing how God is answering and moving in a full variety of situations. 

If we want to "track" our types of prayer, one way we can do this is by printing off a few images from the internet (such as a human body outline, a map of our country, a map of the world, and acquiring colored writing utensils). Brainstorm the different types of requests, such as healing, natural disaster, violence, injustice, etc. and assign each a color. (Make a key for the colors, so we can remember these categories). During a prayer session, write any physical requests on the body. Knee surgery recovery? Write it by the knee. Migraine sufferer? Write it by the head. Then use colored pens or pencils to write non-healing requests on the appropriate map. Storm devastation in our home country on the coast? Write it in blue in the effected area. Violence in Afghanistan? Write it in red on the correct map. Then after the prayer time, consider what regions and what requests aren't being addressed by the group.

Praying for healing is a valid part of prayer, but we should also be praying "BIG prayers". What are examples of big prayers? These are the long-term, ongoing requests that won't be answered in a week, a month, or even a year. These prayers are about situations involving many different people and groups. They may not come with weekly progress reports or updates. 

Pray Big Prayers

-Pray for the persecuted: Pray for them to be faithful. Pray for them to share the Good News. Pray for them to have wisdom in knowing who to share with. Pray that they will be faithful no matter the cost. 

-Pray for the persecutors: Pray for them to repent of their actions. Pray for them to come to faith in Christ. Pray for them to stop persecuting the Church and start proclaiming the Gospel.

-Pray for the people in Africa/Asia/Europe/the Middle East/North America/South America/Oceania: Pray for the people in these regions being affected by events, disasters, and trauma. Pray for them to encounter Christ. Pray that they will identify and remove idols from their lives. 

-Pray for those who are "lost" (i.e. non-Christians): Pray for them to encounter Christ. Pray that they will identify and remove idols from their lives. Pray that they will meet and befriend Christians who will mentor them in their faith. Pray that they will be faithful no matter the cost. 

-Pray for prodigals (those who have left the faith): Pray that they will be drawn back to God through whatever means necessary. Pray that they will not be satisfied by worldly treasure or esteem. Pray that they remember about God's character and commandments when they are weary and broken. 

-Pray for peace/justice/those who are oppressed or marginalized: Pray for victims of war, violence, persecution, and hate. Pray for those suffering from injustices and oppression. Pray for God to intervene to make the world more just and peaceful. Pray for the oppressed and marginalized to experience redemption, restoration, and reconciliation. 

These prayers will be on our list tomorrow and next month, and even next year. But they are prayers that we should be praying as well. 

Praying "On Earth, As It Is In Heaven"

In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray "On Earth, As It Is In Heaven" (see Matthew 6:10). This got me to thinking, 1) what would prayer be like in heaven? and 2) how would knowing this shape my earthly prayers? 

When we are in heaven & we get to spend eternity with God, what will be our conversation with Him?

We are going to PRAISE God for what He has done in our lives. 

We are going to THANK God for the way He moved through (out) our lives in ways we didn't even see or understand until we got to heaven. 

We are going to WORSHIP God for who He is and glorify Him because He is the only one worthy of our praise. 

We are going to CELEBRATE what He has done among the nations and how He has saved His people, the Church. 

We are going to THANK (again) God endlessly for the sacrifice His Son made.

When we are in heaven, I imagine that there will be no more pain, sorrow, tears, or death, so we won't be asking for healing, comfort, joy, or miracles. We won't be petitioning for ourselves or interceding for others. We won't be lamenting injustice or a broken world. We won't have new sins to confess and repent of. 

In heaven, I imagine that we will be WORSHIPPING, WAITING ON THE LORD, PRAYING SCRIPTURE, WATCHING, GIVING THANKS, SINGING, CONTEMPLATING/MEDITATING, LISTENING, and PRAISING GOD. 

Yet, when I consider what my prayers consist of on earth, I realize that I am overly focused on the confession, intercession, petitions, and other requests. I spend more time telling God what I want Him to do then praising God for what He has done. 

What would it be like if our prayers mirrored how I imagine our prayers in heaven will be? 

How would we go about our days if we spent our time worshipping God instead of asking Him to fix what we want Him to? 

How will we pray in heaven? That is how we should pray on earth.

Praying For More Than Healing

Church, we need to pray for things that matter once we get to heaven. When we are in heaven, we won't have pain, sorrow, or tears, but so much of our prayer time is focused on physical ailments that will be healed by the time we get to heaven. 

While it is good to pray for physical healing, I notice that these requests DOMINATE church meetings and prayer lists. Asking for healing IS a valid part of prayer, but if our prayers stop there, we are missing out on a fuller interaction with God. We seem to spend most of our time with this one small aspect of what it means to pray. Dare I say, we are "majoring in the minors" of praying for healing, when we could be studying the full range of prayer methods.

I challenge us to pray for things that have an eternal significance, like SALVATION. Let us spend time praying for the lost, atheists, animists, agnostics, Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, skeptics, unbelievers, doubters, seekers, prodigals. For those who don't know who Christ is. For those who left the faith. For those who think they are Christians, but they are wrong.

Prayer is more than presenting God with a list of our demands. Prayer is a conversation. Instead of spending most of our prayer telling God what we think He should be doing, let us spend as much time or the majority of our time simply listening to God. 

Let us move beyond asking God for things. Let us balance our frustrations and complaints with gratitude and praise. 

Let us ask God how we can serve Him and how we can join in the work He is already doing around us. 

Let us pray for things God cares about. 

*What is God concerned about in the world? 

*What things can we pray that will bring God glory? 

*What things are breaking His heart? 

*What is on His heart, agenda, & mind? 

Those are the things we are supposed to pray for.

When 95% of our prayers are asking God to heal and heal and heal, we are missing out on the opportunities to pray in all of the diverse ways that God has created for us to communicate with Him. 

What else, besides physical healing, can we be praying for?

Tension in Praying

People in general tend to gravitate to all-or-nothing approaches. We are either not doing the thing or doing it the very best way possible.

When this mindset leaks into our prayer time, our prayers start to get unbalanced. What I mean by this is that there are many opposing focuses of prayers that need to be counterbalanced by their counterpoints.

Prayer isn't a gauge that we are trying to max out, but rather it's a tetter-totter of seemingly opposites tendencies that we are trying to balance. Another analogy is prayer is a guitar string. We need fixed points at both ends to be able to play a note. If we just have one end fixed, we just have a wire.

So in these examples that follow, in the contrasting focal points listed, one isn't better or worse. We need both in our prayers. To neglect one is to lose this necessary tension in prayer and to become unbalanced in our focus. Most likely one of each set might come more naturally for us, but we need to practice and strengthen the areas we are weak in, as we continue to work on our strengths as well.

Prayer is talking to God, but prayer is also listening to God. We need to do both to fully pray. So tell God what's on your heart, but also listen to what's on His heart.

We need to pray about local needs and concerns, but we also need to pray about global needs and concerns. So pray about your local elections, but also pray about the global refugee crisis.

We can pray small prayers for the little things that matter to us, but we also need to pray big prayers for virtues & events that won't be easily realized in our present world. So pray that you can remember where your car keys are, but also pray for unity in the church and recovery from natural disasters. 

We need to pray prayers of thanksgiving & praise, but we also need to pray prayers of lament and brokenness over the result of sin and selfishness in our world. So praise God for the good in the world that comes from Him, but also mourn over the needless violence & death that tear apart families and lives.

Supplications, or interceding on others' behalf is a part of prayer, but we also need petitions for ourselves as well. So pray for those around you, but also remember to lift up your needs and requests.

We can pray for physical prayer requests, but we also need to pray for spiritual matters. So pray for healing & victims of disasters, but also pray for their souls.

There are examples of biblical prayers for safety and protection, but there are also biblical prayers for boldness and effectiveness in sharing the Gospel as we let our lights shine to glorify God. So pray for travelling mercies, but also pray that we represent Christ well on our trip and we allow for divine delays.

Prayers can be highly specific, but they can also be vague. So pray as specifically as one can (using discretion to avoid oversharing someone's story), but also pray vaguely when necessary, trusting that God knows the situations far better than we do.

Prayer is asking God for the solutions we think should happen, but prayer is also surrendering the decisions and outcomes over to God. So ask God for the outcome you think should happen, but also yield your preferences and will over to God.

We should pray for the persecuted and for victims of crimes, but we should also pray for their persecutors and perpetrators. So pray for endurance, faithfulness, boldness, and discernment for the persecuted, but also pray for the salvation and repentance of their persecutors. Pray for physical and emotional healing from violent acts, but also pray for justice, repentance, and salvation for their perpetrators.

We are called to pray for our leaders, but we are also to pray for those on the margins of society without advocates and defenders. So pray for our president, but also pray for orphans, widows, and strangers.

Do you see the tensions here? Each prayer is correct, good, and biblical, but if we focus too much on one end, while neglecting the other end, we become unbalanced because we aren't camping out in the middle of the tension of these prayers. 

So which areas of prayer do we need to be sure to incorporate this week?

How to Pray the News: Final Thoughts and What Comes Next

Summary: Country of the Week: 

Source: Link

Final Thoughts 

Instead of going into a fifth way to pray the news to wrap up this month of "how to pray the news", I wanted to share some articles from organizations and other bloggers with ideas about ways to pray the news: Wycliffe, Guideposts, Theology of Work, and Harvest Prayer. 

This series of weekly prayer prompts based on the news has drawn to a close. You might be wondering why I'm not continuing this series since the news changes every day and thus there is a continually ongoing source to draw from. I was reminded that my goal in this series was to encourage people to pray beyond the borders of their cities, states, and countries, as we pray for the people all around the world. But more than providing people with a collection of curated and summarized prayer requests, based on the news, I wanted to equip people to read the news for themselves and make their own prayers. So after 73 praying the news posts in 2020 (I started out doing two posts a week) and 30 praying the news posts in 2021, I am ready to transition to a broader approach to prayer. 

What Comes Next

We will look at additional types of prayer (such as finishing that prayer wheel that last week's theme was based on and diving deeper into lament) and ways to shake up our prayer routines since there is a fine line between a routine and a rut. 

Challenging topics will be examined, such as dealing with tension in our prayers, expanding our prayers (whether by praying for more than healing or making bigger requests), or praying holistic prayers (for a person's body, mind, soul, and spirit). 

Praying for God's will and praying "on earth, as it is in heaven" will also be themes we will explore. 

We will look at praying for different groups: including but not limited to: the vulnerable/marginalized/oppressed, as well as leaders, non-Christians, and other categories.

I hope that you are excited for these upcoming topics. It is my intent to publish two posts a month on this blog, as we examine other aspects of prayer. By all means, keep praying the news, even as we dive deeper into other types of prayer. 

How to Pray the News: Praying by Prayer Type/Prayer Summary 30

Summary: Country of the Week: Qatar

Source: Link

The theme for this week uses the "hour of prayer" theme to pray by the type of prayer. A search on the internet will show a circle of prayer with 12 themes (each for 5 minutes) to add up to an hour of prayer. One that I have used has the following themes: 

1. Worship

2. Waiting on the Lord

3. Confession of Guilt and Sin

4. Praying Scripture

5. Watching

6. Intercession

7. Petitions

8. Thanksgiving

9. Song

10. Contemplation/Meditation

11. Listening

12. Praise

Now, I've edited these themes a bit for our purposes. The ones that I cut out are still important and valid ways to pray, but they don't fit in the theme of praying the news. So still wait on the Lord, pray Scripture, sing to God, take time for contemplation/mediation, and listen to what God is saying, but we will focus on the following 6 themes below. 

1. Worship God for His attributes and Praise God for His actions and Give Thanks: I combined these three into one category, because these are generally summed up in the PRAISE points in my blog. We worship God for His mercy in guiding rescuers to survivors of a disaster. We praise God for sending rain to put out a forest fire and lower the temperature in a heatwave. We are thankful/offer thanksgiving for answered prayers and good things happening in the world.

2. Lament: I added this category, because lament is SUCH a common prayer in the Bible that our prayer time would be incomplete without this. Lament is the brokenness and pain from living in a broken and sinful world. We lament for the people who are suffering, as well as those with hard hearts and stiff necks, who are not moved with compassion at these plights. We lament for the victims of these events, as well as the perpetrators who have caused such pain. We lament for those trusting in weapons and wars to protect them instead of trusting in God. We lament for those to lean on their own understanding and their own resources instead of depending on God. This is the category that breaks our hearts as we join with God in weeping with those who weep and mourning for those who mourn.  

3. Intercession (for other people)/Big prayers: Intercession, in its simplest form, is praying for other people. We ask: "Does this news story affect me?" and if the answer is no, then we intercede for those who ARE affected by these events. This is where we pray the big prayers for wrongs to be righted and for God's peace to rule in people's hearts and over the earth. 

4. Petitions (for yourself): Petitions involve praying for things that impact us and our lives. If we ask "Does this news story affect me?" and the answer is yes, then we will petition God for His will to be done in this situation that we (and others) are involved in. This is where you pray for things happening in your country, your state, and your region. I opted to post national news stories in this section, rather than publishing local stories that would indicate my location. 

5. Confession of Guilt and Sin/Repentance: We need to confess the things we are guilty of. We need to confess the sins in our hearts and lives, so that we can repent of them. The first step is to acknowledge the things we are guilty of. We must tell God the sins that have broken our relationship with Him. Some are sins of commission or the bad things that we have done. Others are sins of omission or the good things that we were commanded to do, but we disobeyed and didn't do them. The next step is repentance. If we confess and then do nothing to change, then we are still guilty. In order to be forgiven, we must CONFESS and REPENT. We must turn from our sins that we have acknowledged. So when we read about a disaster and are not moved with compassion, pray for this shortcoming in our lives. When we read about the result of a person's fear turning to hatred and finally turning to vicious actions, repent of the same fear and distrust in our own hearts. 

6. Watching: I almost cut this category, because technically, all prayers based on news headlines could fit into this category. When we watch, we take the things our senses observe and turn them back to God. So for this section, I encourage you to take a walk through your neighborhood and turn the things you see/hear/smell/taste/touch into prayer requests. For example, pray for the children you see playing. Pray for the neighbor you hear mowing their lawn. Pray for those who are hungry when you smell meat on a grill. Pray for those without access to clean water when you taste the water you brought with you (cuz good hydration is important). Pray for the people who have sat and who will sit on the bench you rest on. 

Worship/Praise/Thanksgiving

Summary: PRAISE: Some people have welcomed refugees into their homes
Source: Link
Summary: PRAISE: Nigeria secures the release of kidnapping victims
Source: Link

Summary: PRAISE: 275,000 people in Missouri gain access to health care
Source: Link

Summary: PRAISE: Samoa will have its first female prime minister
Source: Link

Lament

Summary: Pray for those grieiving the death of Haiti's president after he was assassinated, even as we pray for a peaceful transition to their next leader
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for those grieving the 13 people killed when a fuel tanker exploded in Kenya
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for those who are grieving a lack of diversity and representation in governments and organizations
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for those grieving the 30+ people killed in monsoon rains in Mumbai and thr 110 in a western state in India
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for those grieving the death of a 13 year boy in Singapore
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for those grieving the 12 people who died due to flooding in China

Source: Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for those grieving the dead from the Florida condo collapse
Source: Link and Link

Intercession (for other people)/Big prayers

Summary: Pray for the flood victims in Europe as well as those involved in clean-up and rebuilding
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for people in places experiencing virus outbreaks, as well as places attempting to keep out the virus while letting in visitors
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for the people getting vaccinated, as well as those making decisions on who is eligible for vaccines. Pray for medical and other essential workers to have access to vaccines. Pray for students and workers to follow their school/work vaccination rules
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for India's virus widows, who lost a spouse in the pandemic
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for places opening up in the midst of the pandemic, as well as those frustrated by travel bans affecting them
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for people to follow government and health guidelines in the pandemic. Pray for those vandalizing vaccination centers to be held accountable for their actions
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for restaurants workers to receive fair wages, benefits, and polite customers. Pray for people to treat workers with dignity and respect
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for peace in Sudan. Pray for peace in Ethiopia
Source: Link and Link

Petitions (for yourself)

Summary: Pray for a decrease in gun violence in the US. Pray for people to learn how to solve problems non-violently
Source: Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for those affected by wildfires in the US/Canada
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray people to repent of hate & anger that led to the Capitol Riot, even as we pray for them to face the just consequences of their actions
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for people being held prisoner without being convicted of a crime or having been sentenced to prison. This applies to prisoners in Guantanamo, as well as poor defendants unable to afford bail
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for eligible voters to be able to vote. Pray for just voting laws to be passed
Source: Link and Link
Summary: Pray for communities which have been hit hardest by the virus, particularly black and brown neighborhoods
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for workers expected to work 80+ hours a week in high temperatures for low pay. Pray for workers to be treated humanely and to be able to earn a living wage
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for men to treat women with dignity and respect (and for women to do that same with men). Pray for people to realize and accept that no one "owes" them romantic interactions. Pray for sexual harassment towards restaurant staff to be stopped and for workers to be protected by laws
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for an end to racism
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for workplaces to ensure safe working conditions for their workers
Source: Link

Confession of Guilt and Sin/Repentance

What do you have to confess and repent of in the lament, intercession, and petitions sections? 

Watching 

Take a walk through your neighborhood and pray for what your senses notice.

How to Pray the News: Praying for Restoration/Praying the News Summary 29

Summary: Country of the Week: Mali

Source: Link

The theme for this week is praying for restoration. Instead of looking at the place or the type of issue, we will be praying for the things that are wrong to be made right. 

So when we read about violence, let us pray for peace.

When we read about injustice and oppression, let us pray for justice and freedom.

When we read about natural disasters, let us pray for the world to be renewed and restored.

When we read about sickness, let us pray for healing and cures for diseases.

When we read about accidents, let us pray for restoration, reconciliation, and redemption. 

When we read about people suffering from mental anguish and lamenting, let us pray for repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. 

Peace (Violence) 

Summary: Pray for the hate and fear that sparks violence at rallies and protests to be eliminated from our hearts. Pray for symbols of oppression to be removed from our country
Source: Link and Link
Summary: Pray for Haiti to have a smooth transition of power after its president was assassinated. Pray for those responsible to be held accountable for their actions, even as we pray for them to repent
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for people to repent of attempted coups and violent overthrows of government
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for the riots in South Africa to be replaced by discussions, negotiations, and a peaceful resolution
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for mantees and other species to be respected and protected. Pray for people to change our habits so we don't hurt and destroy living things
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for Afghan citizens to live in peace & freedom after foreign troops leave. Pray for all people there to be treated with dignity and respect
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for Ethiopia's conflict to be solved peacefully and justly
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for the pro-democracy protestors in Eswatini to have their concerns addressed. Pray for the protests to remain peaceful
Source: Link

Justice/Freedom (Injustice/Oppression)

Summary: Pray for a more just foster system (in Canada where indigenous children are overrepresented)
Source: Link 
Summary: Pray for racism and biases to end. Pray for black outdoorsmen and women to be treated with dignity and respect (first link story). Pray for black athletes to be treated with dignity and respect (second link story)
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for Americans to seek Truth as we investigate our own history of residential boarding schools for Native American children. Pray for Americans to acknowledge, lament, and repent of this stain on our nation's history
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for racism and antisemitism to be rooted from our hearts and actions. Pray for people to be teachable instead of defensive when learning about offensive actions, attitudes, and words
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for people to change their language when offensive terms are brought up. 
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for the concerns driving Cubans to protest to be heard and addressed
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for migrants and asylum-seekers to be treated humanely instead of being pushed back to sea (first link) or being left in a legal limbo due to being without documents (second link)
Source: Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for concerns of disenfranchisement of eligibile voters to be heard and addressed. Pray for voting laws that allow eligible voters to vote while preventing ineligible voters from voting
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for people to have access to food and transportation as inflation continues to rise
Source: Link
Summary: PRAISE: Illinois is the first state to mandate teaching Asian American history
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for Canadians to grapple with their country's history with First Nation children in residential schools. Pray for acknowledgement, lament, repentance, and healing to occur
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for workers making minimum wage to be able to afford housing and rent
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for people to treat all other people with dignity and respect
Source: Link

Summary: PRAISE: Illinois has passed a law barring police from lying to minors in interrogations. Pray for this to become a national and international law
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for lawmakers to make a just law to address the DREAMERS who fell through the citizenship cracks
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for people, particularly those in foster care, to have access to the benefits they are eligible for

Source: Link

A Renewed/Restored World (Natural Disasters)

Summary: Pray for heatwaves and wildfires to end as we better steward the earth and its resources
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for rains to come to end droughts. Pray for all people to have access to clean water
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for Germans and other Europeans as they face flooding and grieve those who have died in the floods
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for cities and areas facing high tide flooding
Source: Link

Healing/Cures for Diseases (Sickness)

Summary: Pray for more effective vaccines and treatments for the virus, as a woman dies of two virus varient infections
Source: Link and Link
Summary: Pray for people to continue to follow safety guidelines until the pandemic is fully over
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for scientists and doctors to be able to test for the long virus symptoms and to prevent people from suffering from it
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for scientists and doctors to be able to prevent rare complications from vaccines
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for places experiencing virus outbreaks and lockdowns
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for people and places uncomfortable with reopening too quickly, as well as the places that are reopening
Source: Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for people to be freed from addictions and for hospitals to be equipped with caring for people struggling with addictions and overdoses
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for children and teens getting vaccinated, to prevent organ damage from the virus
Source: Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for people to factcheck before they spread misinformation (and then not spread misinformation)
Source: Link and Link

Restoration/Reconciliation/Redemption (Accidents)

Summary: Pray for families to have closure as the condo recovery discovers more bodies of victims. Pray for forgiveness and compassion for those responsible for the neglect of the building, even as we pray for them to repent
Source: Link and Link and Link

Repentance/Forgiveness/Reconciliation (Mental Anguish/Lament)

Summary: Pray for Haitians to receive justice for their president's assassination. Pray for those grieving his death to choose to forgive instead of growing bitter
Source: Link and Link
Summary: Pray for those grieving the 50-60 people who died in a fire in a virus ward in Iraq. Pray for those protesting the conditions that led to the fire to have their concerns addressed

Source: Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for those grieving the at least 8 people who died in a hotel collapse in China
Source: Link

Now this week's theme might seem like a repeat of last week's, but we are going deeper, further, and bigger in our prayers. We aren't just praying for those who are sick, we are praying for an end to sickness. We aren't just praying for the victims (and perpetrators) of violence, we are praying for hatred, bitterness, and fear to be rooted from our hearts and replaced with love, contentment, and trust. 

How to Pray the News: Praying by Theme/Praying the News Summary 28

Summary: Country of the Week: Morocco

Source: Link

The grouping for this week's prompts is praying by theme. Instead of grouping pray requests by continent, we can group them by the topic. For example, we can pray for those affected by natural disasters, accidents, intentional acts of violence, sickness, and mental anguish/lament. 

Before we jump into this week's headlines, let's take a moment to unpack these categories. Natural disasters include weather events and the destruction caused by them, such as hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and the like. Accidents involve suffering caused by people, but not intentionally or maliciously. For example, a car accident or a building collapsing due to neglect. Intentional acts of violence are deliberate attacks on a person or people, typically as a result of hate, prejudice, or other negative aspects of our humanity. Examples include attacks on people of Asian descent or Muslim heritage. Sickness includes the pandemic we have been experiencing, as well as health problems caused by unequal access to medical care or poorly constructed utilities that harm residents in an area. Our last main category is mental anguish or lament. There are things in the world that grieve our souls, such as racism and genocide. This is a space to mourn with those who mourn. I did include a bonus miscellaneous category, because there always are exceptions to our attempts to categorize things. 

Natural Disasters

Summary: Pray for those affected by the heatwave and wildfires in the northwest US and Canada. Pray for those without access to running water in the midst of a heatwave
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for those affected by wildfires in Cyprus
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for those in the path of Tropical Storm Elsa
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for those missing after a mudslide in Japan
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for those affected by a mud volcano explosion in Azerbaijan
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for Australian farmers as they fight off a plague of mice eating their crops
Source: Link

Accidents

Summary: Building Collapse: Pray for the rescuers, those trapped, and their families as they wait for updates about the Miami condo that collapsed. Pray for the counselors serving the families of the missing and the dead as the search for survivors officially ends

Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Linkq

Intentional Acts of Violence

Summary: Pray for the armed groups to not have stand-offs with the police on the side of an interstate highway
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for a peaceful transition of power as foreign troops leave Afghanistan
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for the 140 schoolchildren who were kidnapped in Nigeria. Pray for the kidnappers to repent and return the children safe and sound
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for a just investigation and trial for the 9 people arrested for a plot to plant bombs around Hong Kong
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for those involved in the Capitol Riot to be held accountable for their actions even as we pray for them to repent
Source: Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for Haitians as they undergo turmoil after their president is assassinated. 
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for peace in Venezuela as police and gangs fight
Source: Link

Sickness

Summary: Pray for those in Indonesia facing an oxygen shortage in the midst of the virus surge
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for places that are beginning to reopen, such as the UK
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for those struggling with a strict lockdown in Malaysia. PRAISE: people are asking for and receiving help
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for those who want the vaccine to be able to get vaccinated. Pray for high vaccination rates
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for rural ambulance services to be able to offer reasonable prices as well as have enough volunteers
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for Australians, especially the children, who are stranded abroad due to the cost of quarantining upon their arrival
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for the countries and their citizens waiting for access to vaccines
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for people in lockdown in Australia
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for places experiencing the Delta variant of the virus
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Pray for Tokyo, Japan as they are under a virus emergency as the Olympics approach
Source: Link and Link
Summary: Pray for schools preparing to reopen in person
Source: Link

Mental Anguish/Lament

Summary: Pray for those grieving the 50+ people who died when a plane crashed in the Philippines
Source: Link and Link
Summary: Pray for those grieving the 43 people attempting to migrate when their boat sunk off the coast of Tunisia

Source: Link

Summary: Pray for a decrease in farmer suicides as many farmers in the Western US deal with drought conditions. Pray for a decline in all suicides
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for those reconsidering the ban on swim caps designed for black athletes in the Olympics. 
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for those struggling to keep/find/reclaim their indigenous names
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for Palestinians who are unable to claim citizenship in the land where they live (Israel). Pray for eligible people who apply for citizenship to have it granted
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for those grieving the 28 people presumed dead after plane debris was found in Russia
Source: Link and Link
Summary: Pray for companies to consider paying employees the same amount for fewer hours worked, after a 4 year study in Iceland shows its benefits
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Pray for an end of hate crimes against black people
Source: Link

Summary: PRAISE: A girl became the first African American to win a national spelling bee in the US. Pray for the people who are grieved that it took this long due to unequal educational opportunities
Source: Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for the people grieving 3 people shot dead on a golf course in Georgia
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for the women and children who suffer from gender inequality. Pray for gender inequality to end
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for just voting laws that do not make it more difficult for eligible voters to vote 
Source: Link and Link

Summary: PRAISE: the statue which sparked the protests & counterprotests that left a woman dead is being taken down 
Source: Link and Link
Summary: PRAISE: As Broadway reopens, it will feature plays by black playwrights
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for the 40 prisoners in Guantanamo, especially the ones who have yet to be charged with a crime and have a trial that convicted them
Source: Link

Whereas last week's theme showed us where a lot of prayer requests were coming from, this week's theme allows us to see that people all around the world are going through the same things that we are experiencing. This allows us to be aware of our connection to people on the opposite side of the globe. 

I hope that we intentionally PRAY FOR the people experiencing these events. If we hear about a disaster or sickness or cause of lament and our response is a prayer of thanksgiving "Thank You Lord that I am safe from this disaster" or "Thank You Lord that my family is not sick", then we are not praying FOR other people. Now you can find this prayer in Scripture, in one of Jesus' parables (the prayer of the tax collector and the Pharisee), but Jesus held up the Pharisee's prayer as an example of how NOT to pray. When Jesus saw people, He was moved with compassion. He did not rejoice that He wasn't crippled or suffering like those around Him. So be sure that we are praying FOR the people involved in these situations. 

How to Pray the News: Praying by Continent/Praying the News Summary 27

Summary: Country of the Week: Tunisia

Source: Link

For the next month, this blog will focus on how to pray for the world by using the news. 

We will look at different themes each week to remind us to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters, as well as non-believers, from around the world.

This week's theme is simply geographically. When you see/hear/read a news article pray for the people undergoing that experience in that area. For simplicity, we will sort the requests by continent.

Many times my prayer summary consists of taking a headline and turning it into a prayer request. So "heatwave in the northwest US" becomes "pray for the people experiencing the heatwave in the northwest US". Take time to pray for different groups involved, especially those on the margins of society who are struggling. So we might add "such as those without central air and people who are working outside". 

Africa

Summary: South Africa: PRAISE: there is a start-up library in a poor neighborhood
Source: Link
Summary: Ethiopia: pray for the civilians caught between the government and a group of rebels fighting for control of cities. Pray for a just peace to pervade the country. Pray for the rebels and government to be able to have just and peaceful negotiations and reach a compromise that is bearable for involved. Pray for those experiencing a famine due to the conflict
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: Sub-Saharan Africa: PRAISE: a solar fridge will keep virus vaccines at the proper temperature
Source: Link

Asia

Summary: North Korea: Pray for the people facing both the pandemic and food shortages/famine
Source: Link
Summary: India: Pray that India (the world's largest vaccine producers) can increase the vaccination rate in India
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for those missing and hurt in a landslide in Japan
Source: Link

Australia and Oceania

Summary: Australia: Pray for those affected by the rising pandemic cases, such as those under new restrictions and lockdowns
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Europe and the Middle East

Summary: Germany: Pray for those grieving for the 3 women killed in a knife attack. Pray for the attacker to repent of his actions and get the mental help he needs to recover, even as we pray for a just trial and sentencing Pray that other immigrants from Somalia are not treated poorly as a result of this man's actions
Source: Link
Summary: Turkey: Pray for police to use non-violent methods with parades. Pray for LGBTQ+ to be treated humanely
Source: Link

Summary: Iraq and Syria: Pray for those caught in the crossfire as the US targets Iran-backed facilities in Iraq and Syria
Source: Link and Link

Summary: Palestine/Israel/West Bank: Pray for peaceful interactions between the police and protesters. Pray for just and humane negotiations and compromises to be reached that is bearable for both sides
Source: Link

Summary: Afghanistan: Pray for the positive presence of a just peace as US troops pull out of Afghanistan
Source: Link and Link
Summary: UK: Pray for a decline in anti-Semitism in the UK and around the world
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for Afghan citizens as they face a 3rd virus wave
Source: Link

North America

Summary: USA: Florida: Pray for the rescuers hunting for survivors in the wreckage of the collapsed building. Pray for the families and friends of the missing anxiously awaiting news. Pray for the missing people to be found alive. Pray for the families grieving the 18 people who had died
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link
Summary: Canada: Pray for those grieving the graves of indigenous children found at residential schools. Pray for the Church and the government to repent, lament, and make amends
Source: Link and Link and Link

Summary: USA: New Mexico: Pray for those grieving the 5 people killed in a hot air balloon crash. 
Source: Link and Link

Summary: USA/Canada: Northwest: Pray for those experiencing a heat wave in the northwestern US, especially those without central air and those who work outside. Pray for those in the path of the wildfires triggered by the heatwave
Source: Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link and Link

Summary: USA: Iowa: PRAISE: Johnson county, Iowa decided it would pay tribute to the first black woman who earned a PHD in Iowa instead of a former vice president
Source: Link
Summary: USA: Oregon: Pray for black people to have access to the vaccine and be able to get vaccinated before the state fully reopens
Source: Link

Summary: USA: Massachusetts: pray for those grieving the two black men shot and killed by a suspected white supremacist

Source: Link

Summary: USA: pray for those who need FEMA aid to be eligible and able to receive it

Source: Link and Link and Link

Summary: USA: pray for just voting laws to be enacted. Pray for lawmakers to consider whether their laws are making it more difficult for minority populations to vote
Source: Link and Link and Link

Summary: USA: pray for Americans to have discussions about peaceful protests and why those in minority populations are protesting. Pray for Americans to seek a positive peace that has the presence of justice, instead of a negative peace where those who feel marginalized and oppressed are expected to stay silent

Source: Link

Summary: USA: pray for a decline in hate groups in the US (and around the world too)
Source: Link

Summary: USA: pray for the state and federal governments to work together. Pray for the workers caught between these two groups
Source: Link

Summary: USA: pray for the government and US citizens to consider the implict messaging the Confederate statues send and what message we want to communicate, and then for appropriate adjustments to be made
Source: Link
Summary: USA: pray for there to be an increase in workers in the home health care businesses
Source: Link

Summary: USA: pray for court/sentencing and prison reforms so that teens will not be sent to adult prisons
Source: Link

Summary: USA: PRAISE: The US Supreme Court leaves the CDC moratorium on evictions in place
Source: Link

Summary: USA: pray for the people without Medicaid due to a gap between state and federal support. Pray that the cracks in the system will be closed
Source: Link
Summary: USA: pray for just trials, fair sentencing, and repentance by those involved in the Capitol Riots
Source: Link and Link

Summary: USA: pray for a decline of racial profiling and an increase of accountability for wrong actions
Source: Link and Link

Summary: USA: PRAISE: the US is pausing federal execution. Pray for the death penalty to be abolished in the US and around the world
Source: Link

Summary: USA: pray for businesses to consider ways to encourage workers to apply. Pray for an increase in wages, so that every worker can afford to pay their bills and rent
Source: Link
Summary: USA: PRAISE: there is a new monument to honor Ida B Wells (a civil rights activist)
Source: Link

Summary: USA: pray for black people to feel safe while hiking or doing other mundane activities
Source: Link

Summary: USA: pray for those in the path of a hurricane
Source: Link

South America

Multi-Continental

Summary: Virus Updates from around the world
Source: Link and Link and Link
Summary: Pray for countries, corporations, and global citizens to steward the earth so future generations can survive

Source: Link

Summary: Pray for lagging numbers of girls in schools to be increased
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for people, especially in the healthcare field, to have access to good quality masks
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for people who are struggling emotionally and mentally in the pandemic
Source: Link
Summary: Pray for governments and organizations to protect their immuno-compromised groups
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for people to follow masking guidelines in order to protect the vulnerable
Source: Link

Summary: Pray for the people who are hesitant to get the vaccine, but need to be vaccinated to keep their jobs
Source: Link

Once we have our prayer list, it is good to note the holes in our list. This week, there were no news stories about people in South America, so take a moment to pray for general things for them. 

Note the requests that have a lot of articles. This is a story that has a lot of updates and is a hot news stories. 

This is one way that we can pray the news