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Dear Lord,


We grieve deeply knowing that
Yet another passenger aircraft has been lost along with all lives on board.
Lord, how long before we wake up to ourselves and stop all war.
Our hearts break at the loss of innocent lives.
Our hearts break at the loss of innocent lives.

We pray for the families who have lost loved ones;
We pray for the children whose lives have been cut short far too soon.
While their lives have now been destroyed, we are thankful for the many of them who lived for the sake of others,
We also pray for those who work in the travel industry, those who crew aircraft, and those who manage air safety.
Our hearts are breaking Lord,
We don’t have enough words to say what we feel.
We don’t have enough words to say what we feel.

Our grief includes shock, sadness, loss, anger and anguish.
We remember your tears for Jerusalem when it was occupied and threatened with destruction;
We remember your invoking of the flight of the innocents.
We remember your anguish on the cross;
Cry and weep with us Lord.
Cry and weep with us Lord.

Your steadfast love endures forever.
We recall that you were filled with pity for those who were abandoned;
We see you heal the broken hearted;
You taught non-violent responses when violence seemed the norm;
You have taught us to pray for those who persecute us;
We know your Spirit is upon us when we prophetically desire a different future.
We know your Spirit is upon us when we prophetically desire a different future.

Lord, help us to understand the roots of this tragedy and to envision a different world.
Cause us to pray;
Inspire in us a desire for peace and harmony,
And by your Spirit grow in us confidence to work for the realisation of such vision.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Bring healing, and help us realize that your hope is much, much greater than all our history.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Bring healing, and help us realize that your hope is much, much greater than all our history.


PRAYER 2:
Lord Jesus,
We wait for you to grant us your comfort and peace.
You, Lord Jesus, know the depth of our sorrow;
We remember the pain you endured for us:
Your agony in the garden, your crowning with thorns, your death upon a cross.
You had to suffer to enter your glory.
In the midst of our grief and loss, remind us that sufferings of this present time
Are not to be compared to the glory that is to come.

You taught us to never forget your suffering and death:
“Do this in remembrance of me” you said that we may never forget how great is the grace of your resurrection.

Tonight, being confronted by the suffering of so many, we can never forget this evil event,
therefore by the power of your Spirit working in us, take us on a journey that brings us to the position
of truth,
of justice,
of mercy….

That we may chose the transforming and liberating way of forgiveness
And become instruments of peace.
For this becomes our memorial of your death and resurrection,
For this becomes the ultimate memorial to those whose lives are lost.

{Written by Ian Stehbens for the Memorial Service to the Victims of MH17 Disaster held in Maleny, 23 July 2014. Close family members of Dr Roger Guard and Dr Jill Guard who died, reside in Maleny. Our prayers included praying for Ukraine (Lepikhova Evgenia) and Netherlands and others.}

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