Prayer Alert: Church opens as Field Hospital amidst Egyptian unrest.The Phantom Intercessor - 7 Dec 2012

Answering a phone call while eating with friends, at the cinema or while driving is culturally acceptable in Egypt. So having a quiet coffee time disturbed by a sudden phone call didn’t seem unusual as I sat with a friend in Cairo on Wednesday afternoon. What was unusual was the question I heard her repeat:

Can we open up the church near the Presidential Palace to be used as a field hospital?

I anxiously waited for the end of the conversation to learn that one set of protestors had launched a seeming coordinated attack against their opponents and the neighbouring hospital was overwhelmed. A moment of quiet shock stilled us as we tried to grasp the idea of our normal hang out area fast becoming a war zone. Downtown, sure, Tahrir, of course – we’d gotten used to this, but Heliopolis…? The sense of unbelief and erosion of normality felt just like the beginning few days of the Jan 2011 revolution. A flurry of emails and a tense night later we trawl through Twitter and the news to find out the truth and wonder at what is to come.

The new President of Egypt, in assuming total power and allowing a controversial Constitution to be rushed to referendum, has managed to polarize an already fractured country along purely religious lines. But it’s not faith against faith but one strict interpretation against everyone else. I’d stood with people from all backgrounds only the day before calling out for political freedom & for Egypt to see the light!

Events unfold and shift quickly so I know this situation could continue to deteriorate rapidly as protests & counter-protests clash in the streets or one wise move from the leadership could defuse the whole thing.

So what do we pray?

Starting from a place of worship & adoration of the One who is always good, I pray for the harvest to come in this land that is promised. I ask for eyes to be opened to see the reality of who they’ve been supporting politically and for all in leadership to make wise choices.  For the plans of the enemy to be frustrated as God’s children respond with trust & praise. We thank God for the service Egyptian churches continue to play in opening up their doors to take in the injured and ask for the Truth to be revealed in Egypt in all His glory & splendor.