How to Pray for Palestine?

Millions of people in hundreds of countries lift up prayers for peace in the Holy Land. Yet, God seems not to listen or to care. The more I traveled and listened to the prayers of the diverse congregations, the more I stared realizing that there is something wrong with these prayers. More and more I started seeing that prayers are mirrors of the awareness level of pastors, elders, and congregations. How we phrase our prayers shapes the way we view our world and Vis versa. If you tell me how you pray for Palestine, I can tell you the level of awareness, the depth of education, and the kind of theology you have. 

When churches pray for Israel only and do not mention Palestine, that tells me that they have a clueless Pastor who has no understanding of the political reality in our part of the world. 

When churches pray for God's chosen people "Israel", this is an indication that we are dealing with a Christian Zionist church, who is supporting the continuous occupation of Palestinian land and people. 

When I hear a prayer for Israel and the Palestinians, then I know that there is a better level of awareness, but this group is too much influenced by the media. In their prayer, they deny the Palestinians statehood and identity. The word "Israel" underline statehood and a unifying identity, why "Palestinians" sounds like a punch of individuals not more. 

Sometimes I hear congregations praying for Israel/Palestine. These are churches with a higher level of knowledge who strive to be evenhanded. 

When congregations pray for peace in the Holy Land, then we realize that they want to avoid a political dilemma and possible discussion. 

Some churches pray for the two peoples "Israeli and Palestinians" and the people of the three religions "Jews, Christians, and Muslims." This shows a more sophisticated knowledge about the context and an attempt to be comprehensive. 

Do we pray for justice or for peace? Do we think of the injured, those prisoners in jails or in an open air prison, like Gaza? Do we mention those whose homes being demolished? Do we pray for the church in Palestine and its ministry to the people there? These are all questions that need  to be addressed when formulating a prayer petition. 

So it is not God who is not listening to our prayers, it is we, Pastors, elders, and people of faith, who are not doing our job. We failed in educating our members about the realities in the world. We didn't bother to raise their global awareness so that they grow in their prayer life. Once churches will do in their prayers justice to the Palestinians, then God will listen, and justice will sure come to Palestine and peace will reign in our land. 

Lord teach to pray and give us the courage, time and will to educate our members how they can pray for Palestine. 

I encourage friends to share here under comments some of their prayers for Palestine. 

This is an extract from a presentation given at the international conference on "Worship and Citizenship in an age of divisive Politics" at Calvin College in Grand Rapids on January 27th 2016.