Pray for the peace in Jerusalem

Pray for the peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “May you have peace.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem. Psalm 122: 6-9 NLT

You would think that the city of Jerusalem would be the most peaceful city on earth. Certainly with the teenage Israeli army walking the streets armed with automatic rifles and the outskirts of any local Arab population surrounded by cement walls and bobbed wire you might think so. But then you take into account the whole Arab/Israeli conflict that easily erupts throughout that region, and you begin to have your doubts.

But the worst anti-peace place in the whole city is in a church and involves Christians.

Yep. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the traditional sight of Jesus’ execution and burial. Within its walls seven different Christian churches have right to worship, walk, stand and move in particular places at particular times. This is probably one of the most violent areas in the whole city because if someone walks or moves into “territory” that is not their own or common ground, a fight will ensue. These are priests as well as believers and they are known to fight all the time -- often resulting in injuries that need to be hospitalized! If the Christians can’t have peace, is there any hope for non-Christians?

Pray for the peace in Jerusalem indeed!

God, we lift up all the official churches represented at this most holy sight in Jerusalem: Easter Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox and Ethiopian Orthodox. Forgive the violence and the fighting we Christians have among one another. We pray for peace! In Jesus’ name.

Copyright Amelia G. Sims 2012