A Prayer For North Africa

God of heaven and earth,
hear our prayers for our sisters and brothers
that are standing up and calling for justice and peace
on the northern coast of Africa.
Every day we hear of yet another demonstration;
and of another, even more violent, crackdown
by governments who cannot or will not
hear the cries for peace.

Today, we hear the cries of your Libyan children
who are facing live fire from air and land
from their own government.

We lift up our voices with our sisters and brothers

and cry to you for justice, peace, and a cessation of violence.
Forgive us for the ways
we have strengthened governments that oppress their own people
for the sake of what we call peace.
Send your Holy Spirit as a mighty wind,
blowing change through us and through the whole world.
Let justice roll down in north Africa,
and all through this world that you so love.
We pray it in the name of the one we call the Prince of Peace,
Jesus Christ. Amen.

—Rev. Margaret Aymer, Ph. D.
Associate Professor of New Testament