“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
~Jesus in Matthew 5:9

This week I keep thinking about the Middle East.
Lord, hear our prayer for all who are suffering.
The people of Iran, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
All these places that are experiencing violence.

I keep thinking about American military personnel in the region and civilians who work in American embassies.
The State Department urged Americans to depart now from 14 countries due to serious safety risks.

I keep thinking about innocent civilians who may not be able to flee to safety because where can they go?
And the 115 people, most of them children, who were killed in a strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab, Iran.
There is so much suffering already.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ issued a Joint Statement on the US-Israel attacks against Iran if you would like to read more: https://www.globalministries.org/ucc-and-disciples-joint-statement-on-the-us-israel-attacks-against-iran/

As the Statement so eloquently relates, “In a time of ongoing war, we affirm our faith in a peace-loving God who neither blesses nor desires war but calls all nations to ‘beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.’”

Love,
Pastor Lauren

Photo by Rev. Lauren Ostrout of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.

Thursday Thoughts 3/5/26