The Chinese version is after the English one.
中文版本在英文版本下。
In the year 2023, there are so many large scale military conflicts happening around the world. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Gaza-Israel conflicts, terrorist insurgency in Burkina faso, DR Congo, Iraq, Nigeria, Sudan, civil war in Columbia, Ethiopia, Mali, Myanmar, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, drug war in Mexico, Ethnic violence in South Sudan and many others. It is said that this is the most chaotic year ever since the modern era.
I don’t know if you feel the same as me. When I listen to the beautiful Christmas carols, I have questions. Some parts of my mind and my soul don’t synchronise very well. Lord forgive me. When I hear that Jesus is born to be the King, and to reign forever, I just don’t know “how” it’s going to happen. My tiny brain isn’t powerful enough to formulate how love and justice could prevail in those wars in which weapons are only becoming stronger and stronger.
As an intercessor, I can’t just receive an order, pray without processing, and output some words. I need to go back to God’s words and seek Him before I could really pray. In the coming prayer, I invite you to sing this verse with me. It helps me to connect with those under danger and pain, and with God at the same time. It’s from Psalm 57:1.
In the shadow of Your wings,
My soul takes refuge in You.
In the shadow of Your wings.
In the shadow of Your wings.
When I say, “Lord, hear our prayer.” You can sing the verse as part of the prayer.
In the parable of wheat and weeds, the servant asked the field owner if they should pull up all the weeds, the owner said, “No, while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” (Matthew 13:24-30)
Dear Lord, we mortals have very limited horizons, and may find it difficult to comprehend why You allow all the tragic wars to happen all around the world. Holy Spirit, grant us the eyes of faith, so that we can see that You are sitting on the throne and Your justice and faithfulness never cease. Please grant us the strength to endure and persevere. Lord, hear our prayer.
[In the shadow of Your wings…]
Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Holy Spirit, thank you for coming. Thank you. Please live within us and fill us. Help us discern the ultimate power and source of life in God the Father. Help us contemplate the sacrifice of Christ dying on the cross that has shaken hell and opened the gate of Heaven. Grant us peace that is unlike the peace given by the world, as we are hidden under the wings of God. Lord, hear our prayer.
[in the shadow of Your wings…]
“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
Dear Lord, we are concerned about the suffering of those in wars. In Jesus’ name we ask for Your divine intervention in many battlefields, that lives can be saved. Grant them assistance and open ways where they can seek help and shelter. Lord, here we stand with the asylum seekers and refugees. We are not from a different world. Teach us to embrace them and to bear the pain with them. Remind us that there is no place forever safe in this world. However, in Christ we are more than conquerors. Through the death of Jesus Christ we live with faith but not by flesh. Lord, hear our prayer.
[In the shadow of Your wings…]
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12)
Father, there is no place Your hand cannot reach. In places where lives are brutally threatened, please sow the seeds of hope. Lord, hear our prayer.
[In the shadow of Your wings…]
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of You among the peoples.[…] For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth. (Psalm 57)
Dear Lord, by the end of 2023, we lift up all the conflicts in which people are under great pain. We praise You, not because we are forgetting or neglecting the suffering of others. It is because we know that the Kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours, now and forever. Lord, hear our prayer.
[In the shadow of Your wings…]
Photo Credit: Raymond Wong
為世界各地軍事衝突禱告
在2023年，世界各地發生了許多大規模的軍事衝突。俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭，迦薩-以色列衝突，布基納法索、剛果（金）、伊拉克、尼日利亞、蘇丹發生恐怖分子叛亂，哥倫比亞、衣索比亞、馬里、緬甸、索馬里、敘利亞、也門爆發內戰，墨西哥的毒品戰爭，南蘇丹發生種族暴力等…… 有人說，這是自現代時代以來最混亂的一年。
我不知道你有沒有同感：聽著美麗的聖誕頌歌時，我的理智和靈魂並不很同步。主啊，請原諒我。當我聽到耶穌降生成為君王，永遠統治世界時，我真的不知道這「如何」能落實於人間。我的微小腦袋無法想像，到底在這些不斷以強制強的戰事中，如何被愛和公義去制服。
作為代禱者，我不能在收到題目後，不經消化便輸出禱文。我需要回到上帝的話語，尋求祂自己，然後才能真正禱告。在即將進行的禱告中，我邀請你和我一起唱這一首短短的詩歌，它能幫助我與那些身處危險和痛苦中的人連結，並共同連結於主：
藏於主祢懷內
行於死蔭求忍耐
藏於主祢懷內
藏於主祢懷內
當我說：「主啊，垂聽我們的禱告。」我們便可以誦唱這一首短詩。
在麥子和稗子的寓言中，僕人問主人是否應該拔除所有的稗子，地主說：「不必，恐怕薅去稗子，連麥子也拔出來。容這兩樣一齊長，等著收割。當收割的時候，我要對收割的人說：先將稗子薅出來，捆成捆，留著燒；惟有麥子要收在倉裡。」（馬太福音13:24-30）
親愛的主，我們的視野很有限，也許很難理解為什麼祢允許世界各地發生如此慘烈的戰爭。聖靈啊，賜予我們信心之眼，使我們能夠看到祢坐在寶座上，祢的公義和信實永不止息。請賜給我們忍耐和堅持的力量。主啊，垂聽我們的禱告。
[藏於主祢懷內…]
耶穌說：「在世上，你們有苦難；但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。」（約翰福音16:33）
聖靈啊，感謝祢的同在。感謝祢。請住在我們裡面，充滿我們，幫助我們認定在父神是生命的源頭，在祂裡面有最終權能；幫助我們默想基督在十字架上的犧牲，震動地獄，打開了天堂之門；賜予我們有別於世界所給予的平安，藏在神的恩翼之下。主啊，垂聽我們的禱告。
[藏於主祢懷內…]
「我實在告訴你們，這些事你們既作在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上，就是對我作了。」（馬太福音25:40）
親愛的主，我們關心那些在戰爭中受苦的人。我們奉耶穌的名祈求祢在許多戰場中施行神蹟，使生命得以拯救。賜予他們援助，開啟尋求幫助和庇護的途徑。主啊，在這裡我們站在尋求庇護的人和難民身旁。我們住在同一個世界。求祢教導我們擁抱他們，並與他們同甘共苦。提醒我們，在這個世界上並沒有永遠安全的地方。然而，在基督裡，我們是得勝有餘的。通過耶穌基督的死，我們憑信心而不是憑肉體而活。主啊，垂聽我們的禱告。
[藏於主祢懷內…]
「我們四面受敵，卻不被困住；心裡作難，卻不至失望；遭逼迫，卻不被丟棄；打倒了，卻不至死亡。身上常帶著耶穌的死，使耶穌的生也顯在我們身上。」（哥林多後書4:8-10）
「在試煉中站立得住的人有福了！他一經試驗過，必得生命的冠冕，就是主應許給愛祂之人的冠冕。」（雅各書1:12）
父啊，祢的手沒有觸及不到的地方。在生命被殘酷摧殘的地方，請撒下希望的種子。主啊，垂聽我們的禱告。
[藏於主祢懷內…]
我的心堅定，神啊，我的心堅定；我要唱歌，我要彈琴。主啊，我要在萬民中稱謝你；我要在眾民中歌頌你[…] 因為你的慈愛高及諸天，你的信實達到穹蒼。神啊，願你崇高過於諸天；願你的榮耀超過全地！（詩篇57）
親愛的主，在2023年結束時，我們把所有在衝突中承受巨大痛苦的人交託給祢。我們讚美祢，不是因為我們忘記或忽視了別人的苦難，而是因為我們知道，國度、權柄和榮耀都是祢的，直到永遠。主啊，垂聽我們的禱告。
[藏於主祢懷內…]
照片提供：Raymond Wong