Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we seek to provide an opportunity for people of God to join together, learn about children and their needs throughout the world, and celebrate Christ's love (especially as it relates to children).Invitation to Prayer, Wednesday
Hi Friends,
I look forward to our prayer time together this Wednesday at 11:30, at First Presbyterian Churchof Midland, Texas, followed by lunch.
Also, Faces of Children is now on Facebook ! I invite you to like our page so that you can see regular stories, prayer needs, and updates from partner ministries
Dear intercessors,
It's Holy Week.
This past week in Sunday School, we spent some time wrestling with the question "Why did Jesus have to suffer so much on the cross?" Many well-researched and carefully documented theological perspectives were offered, but as I considered the question myself during class, one answer in particular captured my heart.
Every week when I sit down to write this letter, I struggle with how dark the world is. We humans can be a nasty and brutish bunch, capable of inflicting such terror and pain on each other. And in a way I can't understand, we often focus that darkness on the youngest and most vulnerable among us ... children often suffer the most.
As an American whose life has been unscathed by the sort of persecution, torture, abuse, and evil this world seems to be drowning in, it's easy to wonder what good came from Jesus actually suffering. But when I imagine a Syrian mother, her hands clutching the water-stained photo of her only child who drowned in escape at sea or picture a hollow-eyed young prostitute on the streets of LA waiting for the next customer, I can imagine Jesus reaching out to them, his hands bearing the scars of his own torture and pain. And I can picture him saying, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."
The words don't sound hollow when the hands reaching out to you bear scars of their own.
In the end, I won't attempt to offer a strong theological case for why Jesus had to suffer so much. But I do find comfort in his suffering as I face my own trials, because I know his call to radically trust in the Father's love for me isn't coming from a comfortable place of never having the truth of that statement tested. And I believe Christ-followers around the world, who can identify with his agony in one way or another, may also find comfort in following a Savior who wasn't personally unaffected by the darkness of this world.
Instead, we follow a Savior who walked straight through the middle of the darkness, breaking down the gates of hell and rising victorious on the other side, proclaiming his Father's kingdom is here and now.
So this week, as we sit a while with the Passion of the Christ and hear the cries of Hosanna change to angry shouts to crucify him, let's remember the Savior we follow is still Emmanuel, God with us. And he's walking with us through whatever dark seasons we may find ourselves in; shining holy and bright, turning the dead and forsaken places into gardens of life.
I pray you sense his presence this week and find comfort in the truth that we follow a savior who knows suffering and who weeps with us when we weep.
USA
On March 17, US Secretary of State John Kerry officially determined that IS militants are committing genocide against Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Syria. Praise God that governmental powers are naming this tragedy for what it is. Let us pray that as the full implications of this political declaration become understood in the weeks to come, it leads to growing peace and protection for the children and people who have experienced such brutality at the hands of IS fighters over the last few years. Please also pray that the perpetrators of that violence would cease fighting and be brought to justice; pray for transformed hearts and renewed minds and for them to radically encounter Jesus.
IRAQ
Preemptive Love Coalition offers this first-hand account of a chemical weapon attack in Iraq. Kurdish authorities report this as the eighth chemical attack against its forces, and other groups confirm that ISIS is using chemical weapons more frequently, including mustard gas, chlorine gas, and yellow phosphorus. These weapons are affecting both military and civilian populations, and the impacts is often felt for generations -- causing birth defects and long-term environmental hazards in addition to greatly increasing casualties. As we pray for the violence to cease, please pray for children and civilians, especially, to be protected from these sorts of attacks. Also please pray for those who are serving on the front lines -- for them to have the protection needed to not sustain any life-long injuries from these bombings.
VATICAN CITY
In his Palm Sunday homily, Pope Francis appealed to the nations of the world not to turn their backs on refugees, migrants, and asylum-seekers. "After mentioning the part of the gospel recounting how Jesus was denied justice and abandoned to his fate, Francis added in unscripted remarks: "I am thinking of so many other people, so many marginalized people, so many asylum seekers, so many refugees. There are so many who don't want to take responsibility for their destiny." Let's join the Pope in his prayer that those in positions of power and authority in this world would choose to use their power and authority to protect the world's most lost and vulnerable and scared.
Blessings,
Carrie
Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153
If you have prayer requests about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to info@facesofchildren.net
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