Cry out for peace
This month, we turn our hearts to Sudan, where years of civil war have left scars on countless lives.
This month’s reading
Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
look, and see our disgrace.
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
our homes to foreigners.
We have become fatherless,
our mothers are widows.
Lamentations 5:1-3
Devotional
Today, we lament the displacement, chaos and devastation caused by war and violence in Sudan.
Let’s call out to God on behalf of those whose hopes have been dashed by the coup and war.
O God of peace and justice, you know what the ongoing war has done to the people of Sudan and how it has devastated families. We come before You, mourning for Sudan and our family in the country.
After a year and a half of war and as the second most violent country for Christians in sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan has the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis.
Communities have been torn apart with nearly 9 million people displaced and vulnerable. Families have been forced to flee their homes, often with nothing but their lives.
Recent internal clashes have put the country on the brink of an even deeper crisis, unravelling any perceived progress and making the plight of Christians in Sudan increasingly perilous.
In the face of this suffering, the people of Sudan cry out to God for peace.
The cry of Lamentations 5 echoes the people of Sudan’s grief. Yet even in the chaos, we hold on to the truth that our Lord is sovereign. He “reigns forever; His throne endures from generation to generation.”
Reflect
Where do you see conflict that seems unending?
How does lamenting help you to trust God in seasons of despair?
Respond
- Lament the destruction of lives and homes in Sudan.
- Pray for safety, shelter and healing for displaced families.
- Intercede for peace and mercy for the people of Sudan.
- Ask God to strengthen the Church in Sudan to shine as hope in the darkness.
*Note: Violence is defined in WWL Methodology as the deprivation of physical freedom or as bodily harm to Christians or damage to their property. It includes severe threats (mental abuse).
