A prayer for enemies

by Tom Beutel
September 21, 2004

(The following is a prayer that the author led with the faculty of the university in which he teaches, in January 2003 before the start of the Iraq war.)

Lord God, sovereign God of the universe, savior and deliverer,
we pray first that you would help us by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit to take our refuge in you and not in our own strength or plans.
We pray that you would help us to resist the temptation to usurp your role, and to allow you to deal with each person, even those who do evil to us,
according to your knowledge and your designs.

We earnestly pray for all who would do us harm.
Help us to understand in what ways we may be provoking the hatred of our enemies;
help us to understand the frustration or desperation that may lead some to strike out against others;
help us to love and not to hate;
help us to want to pray for our enemies, for their salvation.

We know that you do not wish for any to perish.
We ask that your mighty presence be with those who embrace terrorism, and with their leaders.
We pray especially for Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.
Lord, we do not ask that you would assist them in their aggressive actions,
but that you would open their eyes to you,
and that you would soften their hearts until they repent and embrace the Lord Jesus Christ.
May it be in our lifetime that we could call these men brothers in Christ.

In the name of Jesus your Son we pray,
Amen

Thanks to Mary Ellen Meyer for sending me this prayer