Skip to main content

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.}

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Elok Rupa vs Elok Hati

oleh: Pdt. Dr. The Paw Liang  Seandainya Musa tidak cantik….. Tuhan mendengar seruan dan tangisan bangsa Israel di Mesir. Tuhan berbelas kasihan dan memutuskan untuk menghentikan penderitaan mereka. IA merencanakan dan mempersiapkan rencananya, Musa dipakai untuk melepaskan bangsaNya. Apakah Musa dipilih dari sekian banyak bayi laki-laki yang lahir atau kah memang sudah direncanakan oleh Tuhan sebelum Musa lahir bahwa pemimpin ini akan lahir dari suku Lewi, dari keluarga Amran dan Yokhebed. Ketika Musa lahir, Alkitab mencatat, “Ketika dilihatnya, bahwa anak itu cantik, disembunyikannya tiga bulan lamanya. (Kel 2:2). Harun, abang Musa lahir sebelum Firaun mengeluarkan dekrit untuk membunuh bayi-bayi laki-laki Ibrani. Harun tiga tahun lebih tua dari Musa, adakah bayi lain yang lahir di antara mereka berdua? Tidak ada kepastian dalam hal ini. Namun sepertinya ada penekanan, “ketika dilihatnya, bahwa anak itu cantik …” tidak tega orang tuanya membunuhnya, maka disembunyikanlah bayi i...
3 comments
Read more
“BECOMING A DISCIPLE-MAKING CHURCH” Matt 28: 18 – 20 & 1 John 2: 6—Preacher: Ps Paw Liang In my visit to Shechem in 2015, our tour guide told us that the whole population of Samaria only 700 people. Since they did not marry people from other ethnic groups, they have produced unhealthy offspring. Thankfully the High Priest has amended their law and allowed them to marry men or women from other ethnic groups. Likewise, the church might have unknowingly focus too much on the internal affairs (become incestuous) and forgot Jesus’s commission: Go, and make disciples of all nations. The early church were growing well. Acts 2 shows us they were keen in learning the word of God, worshipping and praying together, enjoying the favour of each other. Their lives attract people to Christ, “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”  Jesus calls us to become His disciples and to make disciples. Discip...
Post a Comment
Read more
Cuma itu yang bisa saya lakukan, hanya kehadiran saja Saya jadi teringat: Musa meminta kepada Tuhan, " if your presence (kehadiran) does not go with us, do not send us from here " ( jika Engkau sendiri tidak membimbing kami, janganlah menyuruh kami pergi dari tempat ini" (Kel 33:15) Kesibukan hidup menjadikan " kehadiran" menjadi sesuatu yg sulit kita berikan kepada orang lain, keluarga ( suami, istri, anak-anak, cucu2, atau orang tua) dan bahkan kepada Allah. Ironis, sama seperti Musa kita merindukan kehadiran Allah (hadiratNya) - kehadiran Roh Nya. Namun, apakah kita juga hadir di hadapanNya?  Ketika kita beribadah, baik sendiri maupun bersama-sama di gereja, apakah kita hadir di hadiratNya? secara jiwa, raga, hati, dan akal  budi? (Mar 12:30). Di hadapan orang-orang yang kita kasih? Ketika secara fisik kita hadir pun, perlu kita cek apakah Jiwa dan hati kita juga hadir di sana? Fenomena sekarang, ketika fisik sudah ...
1 comment
Read more