Global Integrators--8

Global Intercessors

Prayer video focusing on Afghanistan, Operation World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o584szozc74
More prayer videos from Operation World:
http://www.operationworld.org/prayer-videos

We think that the time is coming for a diversity of colleagues to come together intentionally, visibly, and practically on behalf of global integration (GI). GI put simply is how we skillfully integrate our lives and values on behalf of the issues facing humanity. Likewise we think that the time is coming for colleagues to carefully reflect and act on what it means to be good global learners-practitioners--to seriously consider what it means to be what we are calling global integrators (GI-People).

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UN Geneva
(with the iconic chair monument missing its forth leg--remembering landmine victims)

Prayer is important in many religious traditions and this is certainly true for the different types of Christian traditions. In fact, we think that global integrators who practice Christian spirituality can be especially involved in global intercessory prayer. Brigada Today, a weekly news-resource service for the international Evangelical mission community, recently posted a prayer for the UN that I (Kelly) wrote. The UN and its many agencies, agendas, and efforts, is a neglected area of prayer, and one to seriously include along with our intercessory prayers for the nations, people groups, specific issues and topics, personal concerns etc. Here is the prayer:

"Lord of the universe, Lord of all nations, Lord of all peoples, to you all creatures will bow and acknowledge your goodness and wisdom and power and love through Jesus Christ and His shed blood (Revelation 4, 5). We acknowledge that we can do nothing without You (John 15) and that we as humanity are in desperate need of You (Psalm 130). You are our refuge and our strength in time of need and always (Psalm 48). We pray specifically that you would guide the efforts of the sustainable development goals, as the member states of the United Nations and the many organizations in civil society work to eradicate poverty, safeguard dignity and justice, protect your wondrous creation, and promote wellbeing for all. Use your people Lord to help shape this process and help us as we work together on behalf of our troubled world. Unless You build the house, Lord, we labor in vain (Psalm 127). Lamb of God You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. For Your glory. Maranatha.” (accessed from Brigada: http://www.brigada.org/2015/03/01_15975#comments)

Going Further

1. "Want to pray more in-depth for the goals that the U.N. might be tackling in the near future? Try praying for each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, one by one [listed in the Global Integration Update, February 2015. Add in the various “Targets” that are under each of the 17 Goals. Check them out at https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgsproposal (accessed from Brigada: http://www.brigada.org/2015/03/22_16094)

2. The UN is comprised of five broad sections (organs): Secretariat, General Assembly, Security Council, International Court of Justice, and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Here is a link for some summary information about the UN's history, organization, and functions:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations

UN New York, General Assembly

3. Pray for the World: A New Prayer Resource from Operation World (2015)

http://www.amazon.com/Pray-World-Prayer-Resource-Operation/dp/0830836861

Pax Dei—Living in Peace 5

Dona Nobis Pacem

Jerusalem, city of peace. “During its long history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 3 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times.”  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem)

I am in Jerusalem. It is almost the start of Shabbat. I am heading from my friends' house in the Arab Quarters, through a security check point, towards the Western Wall. Sometimes referred to as the Wailing Wall, this unmistakable landmark is part of a retaining wall that still remains intact from the second temple--begun around 536 BC and destroyed 70 CE. It is a two-minute walk.

A chill is in the air and a sense of magical expectation fills my heart. The twilight is slowly descending and a crescent moon is slowly rising over the yellowish, limestone buildings. I put on a kippah (head covering) and make my way to the wall itself, passing hundreds who are praying, chanting, singing, swaying, repetitiously and rhythmically bowing, circling in fraternal groups, and/or clustering for discussions and teaching sessions. I touch the wall. I rest my forehead on it. I am transfixed to it, caught up in the social, spiritual, mystical revelry around me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPqQO22Koj4

From my depths wells up a core yearning, a vocal plea to Adonai. A prayer of the Church throughout the centuries for humanity—a humanity composed of all peoples that like Jerusalem has been ‘destroyed, besieged, attacked, captured and recaptured.’ Over and over again my invocation earnestly flows into the ancient stone wall, passing through it effortlessly in order to resound across dimensions in saeculi. The intimate-transcendent Most High is listening:

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, 
miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, 
miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, 
dona nobis pacem.

Perhaps 15 minutes have passed. I gently detach myself from the wall. Transitioning from the ethereal, I look upward. And the peaceful, early-evening sky smiles at me. 

Pax Dei

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.
 On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;

    he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

 In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;
    we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
    let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Isaiah 25: 6-9 NIV