The ongoing crisis in Syria has plunged neighbouring Lebanon to the brink of a full-scale sectarian war between the Sunni and Shi'ite communities. Given the political similarities between Syria and Lebanon this is not altogether unsurprising, but the process has been catalysed by the direct intervention of the Lebanese based Shi'ite militia group Hezbollah in the conflict. For a more in-depth look at what is going on, I suggested visiting this newspaper website or watching this BBC documentary.
But the situation is far more complicated than may appear, as Lebanon has 18 recognised religious identities, including 12 Christian communities that make up around a third of Lebanon's overall population. While the Christian communities were involved in Lebanon's Civil War (which ended in 1990), the war in Syria (and so likely any conflict within Lebanon) has become defined as a inter-Muslim sectarian crisis. And like many Christian communities in the Middle East in such situations, Lebanon's Christians risk become caught in the crisis, as Iraq's long-standing Christian communities have. Indeed, there has been a general mass exodus of Christians from the Middle East in the past 15 years, and strife in Lebanon would risk accelerating this further.
Lebanon desperately needs prayer to avoid these potential catastrophes. Please pray that:
* The escalating Shi'ite-Sunni sectarian violence would cease and civil war be avoided
* There would be peace and reconciliation between the communities of Lebanon
*Christian communities would not be forced to flee Lebanon
* There would be authentic witness of the love, peace, reconciliation judgement and Sovereign Lordship of Jesus Christ in Lebanon
