Revolution in the Middle East

As the birthplace of my parents and a country I visited when I was seven years old, I’ve been watching the situation in Egypt unfold with great interest along with the entire world. Of monumental consequence is just what will happen in the most populous, perhaps most influential country in the Middle East. From my perspective, the revolution taking place is a clash between three parties – a predominately younger generation no longer content living in stifled economic and politically corrupt conditions; the state government wanting to continue to hold on to power; and Islamic extremists who would love nothing more than to radicalize Egypt for religious and political purposes in the region and beyond.

Revolution isn’t necessarily bad. As Americans we celebrate our own revolution from Great Britain which birthed the greatest nation in history. The problem with revolutions is that they are bloody, messy, and rarely peaceful and orderly. Even the greatest revolution in history by the greatest revolutionary of them all, Jesus of Nazareth, was quite gruesome and bloody. The difference between the divine revolution of Jesus and the revolutions of world history is that Jesus allowed His own blood to be spilled than seek to spill the blood of any other.

I would ask that you please pray for the evolving situation in Egypt in seven very specific ways -

• Pray that the political revolution that has erupted in Egypt will be resolved peacefully with an end to all violence

• Pray that members of the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamic radicals will fail in their bid to take over the Egyptian government

• Pray that Palestinian terrorists are not able to take advantage of the unrest in Egypt to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip through tunnels under the Egyptian-Gaza border

• Pray that the global financial crisis will not be worsened by the unrest and uncertainty in the Middle East

• Pray for the peace of Israel and an end to terrorism

• Pray for the safety of Christians in Egypt and all throughout the Middle East

• Pray for the Obama Administration and the State Department as they seek diplomatic resolution