Global Call to Pray for Peace, 16th–22nd March

As events unfold in the Middle East and conflict continues in areas such as Sudan and Ukraine, 24-7 Prayer International is calling a Global Week of Prayer for Peace from 16th to 22nd March. During this time:

At the start of every hour during the week, people in one country or area of the world are called to pray for peace for one minute. The UK is called to pray every day of this week at 8pm.
From Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening, there will be a non-stop 24-hour online prayer meeting which will be divided into one-hour slots, each slot led by a different person at 24-7 Prayer. You will be able to sign up to join one of the slots from Monday 16th March.

What’s happening at Wardie?

At Wardie Parish Church, our Prayer Discovery Group is leading an hour of prayer from 8–9pm on Tuesday 17th March. There will be seats set in a circle at the front of the church sanctuary for people who want to pray with us, and the opportunity to sit quietly in the prayer corner at the back of the church for those who want to pray on their own. Anyone can join us. Come to the Netherby Road door by 8pm to be let in.

What can I do at home?

If you can’t make it to church in time for 8pm on Tuesday 17th March, perhaps you’d like to pray for peace at home. Here are some suggestions for ways to do that:

1. Light a candle while you pray, to signify Jesus lighting the darkness of our world

2. Pray through Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease

    to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

3. Pray the Prayer for the Global Call to Pray for Peace from 24-7 Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we dare to believe that you are still the Prince of Peace. Faced with the horror of war, we are confident that you still reign and are in control. You are the only answer to the turmoil of the nations.

Forgive those of us who have lived in comfort and not turned our ears to the cries of the suffering.

Your people are suffering globally; when one of us suffers, we all suffer, and in the midst of this suffering we cry out to you, our great Hope and great Peace. We pray, come Lord Jesus, come and reign in peace at this time.

We pray for your protection and your security to prevail and that death and destruction would end.

We pray for those who want to escalate violence, that your Holy Spirit would move them to de-escalate; for those who seek to kill, steal and destroy, that they would be inspired to seek peace and adopt a posture of love.

Lord, we pray that in nations where conflict abounds you would raise up righteous leadership; leaders who care for all the people they serve and who are willing to pursue peace over power.

Lord, we pray that you would meet with our brothers and sisters in these conflict-ridden zones; filling them with your peace, comforting them with your presence, giving them strength and compassion to be Christlike within the storms of war.

Lord, your kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven is what we yearn for; we pray that at this time, in this hour, your Kingdom would come. That guns would be laid down, that weapons would be turned away, and that your love would reign supreme in a world so quickly moving towards hatred.

Lord Jesus, we dare to believe that you are the Prince of Peace. Lord have mercy, bring peace to our world, and be glorified throughout the globe.

In the name of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit,

Amen.