Prayer For Zimbabwe

Father, we ask You to forgive the people of Zimbabwe for their sins. Forgive those who are preying upon the poor and distressed people in the country. Forgive those citizens who have an abundance for allowing their fellow countrymen to scavenge for food. Forgive the leaders of the country for turning a blind eye to those who are in need, and for not acknowledging that their people are indeed suffering. Forgive the leaders for the dictatorial rule they have imposed upon the democratic land. Father, please forgive the citizens of foreign nations for their lack of knowledge and inattention to the plight of the people in Zimbabwe. We also ask that You forgive the people of foreign nations who are turning away refugees from Zimbabwe. Lord, forgive me for (list any sins that you have committed.) Holy Spirit, remind us all of those we need to forgive and help us to be quick to forgive. As for me, Holy Spirit, bring to my remembrance those I need to forgive. (Take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to show you names or faces of people that you may need to forgive. As He shows you, say aloud, I forgive name of person(s). Now, trust the Lord to heal any wounds in your soul caused by unforgiveness.

Father, we ask that You restore the country of Zimbabwe to its former glory. As the God who heals all diseases[xv]we ask that You, Jehova Rapha, stop the outbreak of cholera that is occurring in the country by providing adequate resources to repair the water and sanitation services. Father, break the cycle of famine by providing bread[xvi]to the people who are scrounging for food; send showers of blessings so that the orchards and fields of Zimbabwe will yield bumper crops.[xvii] Jehovah-Jireh, as the God who provides, please stabilize the economy of Zimbabwe so that those who are working will be able to earn fair wages and provide for their families. Provide enough resources to re-open hospitals and schools throughout the country. We ask that You protect the aid workers who have traveled to the country in the hopes of providing relief to Your people; accept their selflessness as an attempt to do what is right and just in Your eyes.[xviii]For those citizens of Zimbabwe who are fleeing to South Africa in search of a better life, provide them safe passage as they cross the Limpopo River; protect them from the arrow that flies by day, the pestilence that roams in darkness, and the destruction that lays in wait at noon.[xix] Holy Spirit, inspire the people of South Africa to help, not oppress or mistreat, those citizens from Zimbabwe who are seeking refuge.[xx] Father, we ask a special blessing over the women and children of Zimbabwe: please protect the woman and girls from bodily brutality.

Abba Father, spread Your protection around[xxi] the children who have been orphaned or abandoned to shield them from the gumagumas[xxii] seeking to exploit their innocence and vulnerability in Zimbabwe and in the countries where they may seek refuge. In regards to the government, we ask that You remove the chains of oppression that have been imposed by the country's current rulers.[xxiii] Holy Spirit, guide the leaders of Zimbabwe in Your truth:[xxiv] touch and inspire them to seek peace[xxv] and to rule with fairness[xxvi]by reminding them that all people, including leaders, will be subjected to judgment by You, O Lord, and that You show no partiality.[xxvii] Holy Spirit, descend upon the dissenters in Zimbabwe who are being tortured for speaking out against the country's rulers; impart wisdom upon them so that they will be able to withstand their persecution knowing that those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness have a place in the Kingdom of Heaven.[xxviii] Holy Spirit, we also ask that You inspire world leaders to take a more active role in restoring Zimbabwe; let foreign dignitaries become more attentive to the numerous crises that are occurring in Zimbabwe; allow foreign governments to work with Zimbabwe's leaders to negotiate and foster humane solutions that will ease the country's economic crisis; inspire religious leaders to promote prayer for the troubled country; and inspire the citizens of all foreign nations to call upon their religious and secular leaders to press for a government that will impart laws that are in accordance with Your law and Your ways.

God who is called by many names, God of this earth and all its peoples, today we are crying out, how long, O Lord?

How long until we can touch our parents and beloved elders? (even as we thank you for each day we have with them.)

How long until we can have things on our calendar to look forward to that don't involve staring at a computer? (even as we thank you for the abundance of celebrations and movies and live music and meals with friends that we have been granted up until a few months ago.even as we thank you for the gift which electronics can be to us.)

How long until we can gather together again to sing your praise? (even as we thank you for calling an assembly in the streets to overturn the tables of injustice and racism.)

How long until the dying ceases, the brutality ends, the anxiety abates?

How long until justice rains down like waters?

How long, O Lord?

How long until the coronavirus pandemic stops holding our lives and our world in the thrall of fear? (even as we are aware of the increasing numbers of both cases and deaths in Brazil, Mexico, India, Pakistan, and the United States.)

How long for the recovery of the people in six states in southern Mexico, hit by an earthquake this week, killing six people, and destroying many buildings? (even as we are grateful that the government's alert system worked well, saving many more lives.)

How long until our LGBTQIA siblings in sub-Saharan Africa are free from criminal prosecution for their same-sex loving relationships? (even as the members of the lower house of parliament in Gabon have voted for decriminalization, a significant first step.)

How long until people dealing with cancer in Zimbabwe can get proper treatment, as the health care system has been compromised by the corruption of the health minister? (even as health care workers are making every effort to assist the sick and suffering.)

How long until the massive plume of dust from the Sahara Desert reaches the southeastern United States, bringing with it the possibility of multiple respiratory problems and straining an already-stressed health care system? (even as awareness is raised through technology and the efforts of the United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.)

How long until the wildfires in Arizona, United States, which have forced the evacuation of many residents, are brought under control? (even as we give thanks for the firefighters and first responders working there.)

How Long, O Lord?

We're not asking for a date. We're asking for the faith that a date will come.

Amen.

Holy One,

In the dark of the night when tears become our prayers, we believe the Spirit intercedes for us, breathing through our lament.

In the light of the day when fears hushes our voice, we believe that Christ listens to all that we carry in deep within our hearts.

In the midst of life's cacophony, we believe that you draw us close, even when we struggle to draw close to you.

Not a word is on our lips that you do not know completely. And yet we must pray. We must offer up the yearnings and desires of our heart. We must pray for the world as it is and name the world that we long to see, the one that lives and moves and has its fullness in You, in your love and grace, peace and justice.

Thus, hear our prayers, oh loving, living Lord. Imperfect and incomplete as they might be, hear our prayers and make your presence known to us now.

Hear our prayers for the southern parts of Africa living with the aftermath of Cyclone Idai. We lift up to you all those who are struggling with flooding and fires, devastation, disease, and death. Be with the people of Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe as they strive to rebuild their homes, their lives, their sense of well-being. Be with aid workers, doctors, civilians, and all those who are working alongside each other to bring healing help.

Hear our prayers for those living within tumultuous and transitioning political systems around the world, including Britain, India, and Venezuela. Where people are driven by anxiety, bring forth signs of your hope. Where rage and hatred seem to have the last word, speak again your astounding word of peace. We pray for those who are mighty in power and privilege, who are making decisions for those who are the lowly, the lost, and the least among us.

Hear our prayers for those living in the aftermath of the shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand. We pray for all those who step into their mosques, synagogues, and places of worship with trepidation. May all places of prayer become safe spaces for those who need them. We pray for those whose daily lives have been upended by violence in the past week, including in Yemen, Iraq, Gaza, and Israel. Be with parents, children, students, and civilians who live in the midst of gun violence, from villages in central Mali to subdivisions in the United States.

Through all these prayers, we rediscover again that we are not the saviors of the world. You are. We lift up our hearts to you, praying that our hands and feet might further the work of your kin-dom, today, tomorrow, now, and forever.

Amen.

Mother God,

How grateful we are, Lord, for your constant presence in our lives as we walk as little children on this earth. As we look around this world and see the awful things which happen to your children, we ask that you remind us to be more like curious babes who look at their parents with love. Help us to adore you as a newborn baby looks at their mother for the first time.

Teach your children to love you, Lord.

God, we pray for all those who suffer in this world from disease and malnutrition. As your dear children die in the DR Congo from the second largest outbreak of the ebola virus, we ask that you be with those suffering as they watch their family and friends die around them. Soothe the cries of those suffering and heal your dear children.

Heal your children, Lord.

God, we ask that you be with those who have no place to call home. We ask that you be with all immigrants and refugees who suffer and live in fear. We pray that your loving presence may always be with your children who cry out in fear of not knowing what may happen to them next.

Be with your children, Lord.

We pray for your children who are experiencing very warm temperatures and are suffering from lack of water due to droughts in India, Zimbabwe, France, and many other places your children call home. May the water return to nourish and heal the babes who are parched with thirst and are in need of new life.

Soothe your children, Lord.

We are your children, Lord. We come to you in gratitude for all of your children and new little babies who are only just learning about this world. Guide us on your path so that we might be ever closer to you. May you always be our Mother God, and may you teach us how to be the best children we can be. We know, Lord, that you are the ultimate giver of life and love. May we always come to you, dearest parent of us all, so that we might receive your nourishing love this day and always.

Amen.

God, you say in Job 5 that you will catch the crafty in their own craftiness; dear Lord, catch the evil doers and change them. Those in leadership that do not need to change, God remove them we pray in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

God, we pray for all victims, the sick, the disabled and the children who are are having difficulty attending school. All those that have been affected by the political conflicts, touch and restore them Lord.

Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Rapha, Jehovah-Shalom,
God of liberty and righteousness, God of peace and truth,
in the glory and wonder of earth, sea, and stars,
in the miracle of all life and form in the whole universe,
in the complexity and confusion of human experience,
we celebrate your loving compassion.