We See Wonders
The end of June saw 3,000 Christians gathered together in Lebanon to praise and worship God. Organised by Resurrection Church Beirut, in collaboration with Kasr El Dobara Church in Egypt, the ‘We See Wonders’ event aimed to encourage Christians across Lebanon through the power of unity in prayer and praise.
Pastor Hikmat Kashouh from the Resurrection Church explained his hope for the event, held from 24-26 June, in his opening address: “We aim through this event to gather all churches to praise the name Jesus above all. People need Jesus Christ and, in our unity, the world will know… ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another – John 13:35’.”
This was the second year that the non-denominational Christian event, which was broadcast live on SAT-7’s Arabic channel, had been held. This year, praying for Lebanon was a major theme of the conference. Pastor Sameh Maurice thanked the hospitality of the Lebanese church and prayed in light of turmoil in the surrounding region saying, “Our prayers go to Lebanon, the country which was determined to stand up, Lebanon the country which suffered, and the current Lebanon which hosts its Syrian and Iraqi brothers and provide assistance to them through their rough time.”
“Extraordinary”
One woman, Patricia, who was interviewed by SAT-7 at the event described it as “extraordinary”. “We used to see people gathered in prayers in Egypt… We would pray and say to the Lord, ‘God, please let this happen in Lebanon.’ And indeed this is what happened… How marvellous is it to see people from different communities away from any conflict focusing on the most important part – Jesus Christ. We are so happy!”
Those attending were encouraged to draw upon the help of the Holy Spirit to experience God’s grace and forgiveness. People also joined together in prayer for love, peace and healing, especially for those with special needs. One of the organisers, Elie, commented, “We had 2,400 Bibles and gave away almost all of them. There were Bibles in Arabic, Kurdish and French too. People are spiritually thirsty to experience the love of God’.” The organisers arranged for local churches to provide follow-up support for individuals through prayer or spiritual counselling.
PRAY:
- Give thanks for the encouragement that the ‘We See Wonders’ event was for so many Christians in Lebanon, as well as those watching the broadcast on SAT-7.
- Ask that more large events like this one can be held in safety in countries like Lebanon and Egypt. Pray for Christian leaders in Lebanon and give thanks that they are able to demonstrate unity in their expression of Jesus’ love and grace.
- Pray for the people who took Bibles, that God would open the eyes of their hearts to His life-changing truths, and for local churches in Lebanon who are able to encourage seekers and disciple new believers.
- Pray for Lebanon in its role as a stabilising presence within a turbulent Middle East.
- Pray for the needs of Syrian and Iraqi refugees currently living in camps in Lebanon. In particular, pray for SAT-7’s new ACADEMY channel in its focus on education for displaced children and families.