The Christians sheltering in two churches in Gaza City were faced with difficult decisions once again last week.
“Israel has dropped leaflets ordering everyone in ‘Old Gaza’ to evacuate,” Harriet Lawrence, a former Christian teacher in the Gaza Strip, wrote on Facebook. “There are still hundreds of Christians safe harboring in the Greek Orthodox and Latin Catholic Church grounds…. To leave just is hardly an option, with so few places in any part of Gaza that are the least bit safe.”
An airstrike did indeed hit a Catholic school on Sunday, but it was not one of the two churches where most Christians are. In fact, no religious personnel resided in the Sacred Family School, which closed at the beginning of the war and became a shelter for hundreds of displaced Palestinians. Four died in the airstrike, among them Hamas’ deputy minister of labour. (AsiaNews, July 8)
“The bombing was intense and frightening,” wrote Harriet, who has also provided our prayer guide today. “Friends of friends who are safe harboring in one of the churches wrote, ‘We could not believe that we were fine. We thank God that the night passed safely, Amen.’“
- “Please continue to pray for (Christians’) safety.
- “The Ahli Hospital evacuated all of their sick. Thousands are displaced again. Please pray for all of those who are on the move again. Looking for a safe place to sleep for a few nights.
- “Pray also for the hostages and the thousands of Palestinians who are being held in Israeli prisons. Pray for humane treatment for all.
- “Pray for creative solutions to extremely complex problems.
- “Pray for Lebanon. As the war has moved to Israel’s northern border, Lebanon now has over 90,000 people who are also displaced from their homes. Lebanon is a tiny, fragile country. Please pray for all of these who are also looking for safety. We are back to praying for creative, viable solutions to very difficult problems.“
Visit our Israel-Gaza page for regular updates and to pray for the Israeli hostages by name:
Pray for Israel and Gaza in These Trying Times
“Isaiah 40: 28, 29: ‘Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives strength to the weary, and to the one who lacks might He increases power.’
“God in heaven, we praise You for being the Creator of the ends of the earth. We praise Your steadfastness. You never grow weary or tired. You are so wise. Your wisdom is beyond us. We praise You for Your strength. All power is Yours. You have told us when we need wisdom to ask. We are asking for wisdom for all of those in power. Give them creativity to make good decisions. Give them unusual thoughts and ideas for the solutions to these challenges. Please, God, give power to all of those who need to find a safe place to sleep tonight. Give Your energy to those who need to walk just a little further in order to be safe. We love You, God, and trust You for Your goodness to all of these in need. Draw us all to Yourself. Teach us what You need for us to learn. Help us to be willing learners.”
Join the army! Pray through the news for God’s purposes to prevail. To get the daily posts delivered to your inbox in time for your morning quiet times, enter your email address in the space below:
For 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening, a book of prayers for every heart, home and country to awaken to God’s love, and Bible studies on fighting for what matters most, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.
Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through giving a donation, shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, praying for them or inviting them to speak at your church, retreat or other event, click the buttons below:
Thank you for your support! If you’d like to know more about how you can help the Vincents’ ministry, please contact Mikaela.
PRAYER WALL 