Sh Br 42: Reconciliation

Shiite Muslims – a people God is pursuing to be Jesus’ Bride

shbride@rightbox.com

Soon - and it will not be very long - the forests of Lebanon will become a fertile field, and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops. In that day the deaf will hear words read from a book, and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness. - Isaiah 29:17-18, NLT

I lost track of how many individuals and groups around the world were praying and fasting for Lebanon the past few weeks! Lebanon was moving at a rapid pace towards all out civil war, and believers from lands including Korea, England, the USA, Sweden, Brazil, and here in the Middle East - from Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, and here in Lebanon, all got down on their knees and prayed.

One large group gathered in Lebanon during the fighting, on the Global Day of Prayer, May 11, and this is what they said:

"When we started the gathering there were very few people present and it was understandable, but to our surprise, slowly and surely the whole space was quickly filled to the overflow."

The time was exceptional and as we proclaimed II Chronicles 7: 14 'If my people who are called by my name would repent from their evil ways, humble themselves, and seek my face, I will hear their prayers and heal their land,' a spirit of repentance came over every person attending, over all the priests and pastors and even on our TV audience as the event was broadcast live all over the earth. Truly we heard testimonies of people kneeling with us in their homes and joining us in prayer for the Spirit of the Lord to inhabit Lebanon."

Many of you prayed. God heard! Everyone in Lebanon is saying, "It's a miracle!" Many are saying, "God did this."

Last week, after six days of deliberations in Qatar between various leaders from Lebanon and other countries, the violence in Lebanon quickly subsided, a president was elected, the airport and streets reopened, and life in Lebanon got back to normal - a new normal.

This past weekend, young men wearing yellow baseball caps removed hundreds of opposition tents, picked up trash, and planted fresh flowers - by the thousands - in downtown Beirut. Lebanon's new president, Michel Suleiman, said he will be working under one slogan: Reconciliation.

On Saturday, May 24, one day before he took his oath of office, Suleiman told An Nahar Daily: "My era will be devoted to reconciliation and (building) understanding."

Even though street battles are flaring up occasionally and on-going dissension still pits rival groups against each other in Lebanon - many of them Shiite, there is a beautiful peace - a reprieve of Mercy.

Look back in history, dear friend of His Shiite Bride, and see how God displays His power when believers take seriously their role to love and obey God together. When they collectively fast and pray, when they worship Him in spirit and truth, and when they live out their faith through tangible acts of justice and mercy, God is magnified and entire communities - yes, entire countries - are changed.

Keep praying that "in a very short time Lebanon will become again a fertile field and then the lame shall walk, the blind shall see and the deaf shall hear the good news."

Pray that millions of Shiites in Lebanon see and hear, and walk and run with the good news, telling others.

SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE from Shiite Bride by emailing: shbride@rightbox.com