Protection, peace and stability for Iraq

I don’t need to remind anyone that the Iraq elections begin tomorrow. Whatever your political feelings about this, I urge you all to pray for peace and stability in that country, to pray for protection for all who are brave enough to exercise their right to have a say in the future of their country and for the troops, police and election officials who are going to be delivering the ballot boxes, manning the voting stations and protecting innocent civilians, all of whom in grave danger. Intimidation, lack, despair, and hopelessness have held the Iraqi people in captivity for so long -- they deserve to find freedom from oppression of every sort.

We might feel that this situation is so big, so hopeless that it’s not worth praying, but EVERY prayer is effective - it has some effect on world thought. We may even feel that it’s nothing to do with us, so why should we bother? But, for those of us in the UK, it IS something to do with us.

As with Israel, the whole dilemma that Iraq is in, historically has much to do with us. Remember Laurence of Arabia? Well, in the 1920’s, following WWI, we British imported a Sunni Arab (Amir Faisal) into Iraq to be King. We devised a partial election process to ratify our vision for Iraq and also imposed a military treaty which left our army largely in control of the country. At that time, the ayatollahs issued fatwahs telling their followers not to vote and as a result, the clergy lost all influence, the British largely wrote the constitution (causing unrest and resentment) and this all led to a chain of events which culminated in the Baath revolution and Sadaam Hussein.

The world will be greatly blessed by stability and progress in Iraq, so I ask you to join me in prayer. Muslims, whether Sunni or Shiite; Kurds and Christians, CAN live in harmony with one another because we are one family, God's family. The powers of this world will fight and try to stop progress, but the higher law of Truth (which Jesus told us makes us free) is unstoppable, and will emancipate humanity. This same law of goodness uncovers, exposes and arrests hatred and revenge, destructive plots and even cynicism. Mary Baker Eddy wrote: “God's law reaches and destroys evil by virtue of the allness of God.“ The law of Love gives protection; but we have to know that this power of absolute Good is in operation NOW. We need to lift that whole nation up in prayer to the realm of Love, of Light (which is where we all live and move and have our being, in reality.)

May divine Love fill our hearts and minds - and the hearts and minds of everyone in Iraq. May we see clearer today than ever before that whatever would try to paralyse forward progress and stability is powerless in the presence of God's grace.

Love and peace,

Judy

This is a potted guide to understanding the election process in Iraq:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0128/p01s02-usgn.html