Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God’s Sunrise will break in upon us,
Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death,
Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, 
down the path of peace.

Luke 1:78-79 MSG
prophesy from Zechariah

Path to Peace

“Many more Syrians are trying to flee, with Jordan reporting this week that 16,000 Syrians are in a no-man’s land in the wide-open desert along the Jordan-Syria border.”

First a bit of

PERSPECTIVE

Joining this 16,000, are another 4 million refugees going from one place to the next traveling through Europe and the Middle East in search of safety. 

Every day in no-man’s land is a world of uncertainty and obscurity, “where will we sleep?” “what will we eat?” “will we find a home in the end?”.  Beyond the uncertainties, there are real physical dangers and vulnerabilities for men, women and children.  In the first 2 weeks of 2016 more than 50 people diedmaking the trip from Turkey to Greece by boat. 

They flee darkness only to grope their way toward the light of hope, safety, jobs and most of all peace God hears the cry of the helpless.  Throughout history God’s light has broken into impossibly dark circumstances and situations wooing, speaking to their hearts and miraculously providing for their needs.  This moment in history is no exception.  Hope, peace and light for the journey is being granted to all who respond.

PRAYER POINTS

• God, would you in mercy break into the lives of these refugees with the brilliance of your love and mercy. With each step turn this dark road into the pathway to provision and a growing sense of your loving presence.  Infuse hope, we pray. 
• We ask that you provide for their needs daily. Make the path clear in front of them and grant governments wisdom to create order and healthy places of refuge.  Protect men, women and children as they live and travel through many “no-mans lands” to bring them into physical places of rest and provision.

• We ask for many to hear your message of hope, receive salvation and enjoy inner peace.  Let your light and truth multiply in their hearts and minds through faith in Jesus, even as they face challenges and uncertainty.

LINKS

This migrant crisis is different from all others / BBC 12-24-15

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-35091772

UN war crimes investigate malnutrition claims in Madaya  / EuroNews 1-12-16

http://www.euronews.com/2016/01/12/un-war-crimes-investigate-malnutrition-claims-in-madaya/

Syria: Peace Talks To Start In Geneva On Jan. 29

January 25, 2016 | 15:19 GMT

Peace talks to end the conflict in Syria will begin Jan. 29, according to the U.N. special envoy for Syria, AFP reported. The negotiations, which will be held in Geneva, were set to begin Jan. 25 but were delayed over disagreements about which representatives would take part. The negotiations will last for six months, the U.N. envoy added. The widely divergent goals of the different actors in Syria will make reaching a meaningful resolution extremely difficult. 

Pray that the peace talks will be successful in bringing this long-running, destructive conflict to an end and restoring the Syrian refugees to their homes.