Prayers for the Week: August 17

The week has just started, but news from around the world–Afghanistan and Haiti especially–makes this new week feel so heavy. The words above from Revelation are encouraging, and we are grateful that God promises to bind our wounds and heal our broken hearts. This week we wanted to focus our prayers a little differently because all around the world so many people need prayer right now. Here is what we’re praying this week:

• This week we thank God that we live in a country in which we have freedom of religion, that we work in El Salvador, where we can share the Gospel freely without fear for our lives. We are blessed that we can, like Isaiah, answer the call: “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.'” Isaiah 6:8
• We pray for those all over the world who are experiencing persecution for their faith. “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10
• We pray for peace. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

The days feel heavy, but we can, like the author of Romans, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”