A prayer for the persecutors

Lord God,

You told us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors.

We pray for the persecutors:
the dictators and the religious leaders,
the bullies and the book-burners,
the prison guards and the secret police,
the extremists with their guns and their hatred,
the spies, who feign friendship and faith in order to capture Christians.

May they meet you through the patient endurance of their captives,
and in the steadfast hope of those who face death.

May those who deal in lies learn that the only real truth is in You.
And may they seek your mercy and forgiveness, Lord.
And may we, too, learn how to forgive.

May we bless those who hurt us, forgive one another, and live lives of love and grace.

In your name,

Amen.

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