By Joy Mallouh
The tension was escalating in Lebanon in the month of March and April. The disagreement between political parties prevented the election of a president. It was obvious that these tensions would lead to a new civil war. It was like a nightmare when we woke up to the sounds of grenades, machine guns, and heavy artillery in the west side of Beirut. The fight spread out to the mountains like a blaze of fire, and people were soon seeking refuge in their shelters, which they hadn’t used for the past seventeen years.
Believers in the country met with disappointment on Sunday. All hope for peace in the country was shattered in few hours. We had not forgotten the awful years of war yet. We still suffered in our memory from the last attacks on Lebanon in the summer of 2006. How could we approach our loving God in such a time when we felt desperate and lonely?
On a political level, leaders in the country were called to meet in Doha in order to seek an agreement, elect a new president, and have order and peace in the country. As they responded to this invitation, Camille Melki and I thought of supporting this last opportunity for peace with our prayers. We called upon the six evangelical pastors in Ashrafieh in Beirut and shared with them the idea of a week of prayer in our churches. A call for unity among all evangelical churches in Ashrafieh was initiated. A whole week was dedicated for this prayer event. We met each night in a different church, including the Nazarene, the Brethren, the Baptist, the Free Evangelical, and the Church of God.
The Monday prayer meeting was held in the Baptist church, where we praised God in singing and prayer. We humbled ourselves before our great God, who would be the only answer to our needs in such a difficult situation. We went back home with hope. As the Tuesday meeting approached, the news on television and radio was very discouraging. People poured into the Nazarene church with more fear as they heard over the news that the political leaders were leaving Doha for Beirut because no agreement has been reached. Prayers were lifted up asking God for an intervention in the political arena, because the only way to peace was a miraculous divine act. We were so blessed as we prayed together and sensed the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. We committed ourselves to God and his will, and deep in our hearts we knew that he would never forsake us. He would be our refuge as he had been in the past. We would continue to be his witnesses in a divided country. We will witness to his love to all people from all backgrounds. And with this sense of contentment we left the church meeting in faith.
As we woke up on Wednesday morning, we discovered that God had heard our petitions. Oh how great our God is. While leaders in Doha were in disagreement, God changed their plans and an agreement was signed at 3:00 in the morning. We were celebrating. We were praising God. Our prayers were answered. Can you imagine how our evening meeting from Wednesday through Saturday sounded? While people were celebrating in their own way, we were acknowledging God’s miraculous ways in changing history.
Our celebration of unity did not end here. We continued to meet as brothers and sisters in Christ together every night. The walls of division that our forefathers built were diminished. We were convinced that our role in witness and ministry in Lebanon should be in unity and love. It was the first time in history that our churches gathered to pray together, sharing in the different traditions of each of the above mentioned churches.
The day of the open prayer meeting on Sunday came, and some young people from the Church of God were preparing for the open event in Sassine square in Ashrafieh. At noon the prayer unity celebration started in that main square. The singing and Bible reading from the psalms was heard as the music played on the loudspeakers. With joy and a thankful heart, we witnessed to our people that God is great and loving. Joy delivered a short message calling people to acknowledge God in their daily life by confessing their sins and leading a holy life. All six pastors shared in readings and prayers.
Aren’t we called to celebrate unity each in his city and town? How can we be advocates of this call? I sensed the Spirit of God as we marched every day to meet in a different church. I sensed the blessings as we met in Sassine square. We have promised to continue our ministry together celebrating unity with our fellow believers. We are one family of God. His Spirit unites us in holiness. Unity is the source of power for the Church of God all over the world. Let’s celebrate unity together.
I am more aware of my ministry for unity because my wife and I attended the North American Church of God camp meetings in Anderson from June 20 to 25. What a blessing it is to live as one in Christ.