Beirut (MNN) — After a huge car bombing in Beirut, many fear civil war. A car bombing on October 19 killed at least eight people, and more than 90 others were wounded.
According to Reuters, the bomb killed a top Lebanese security official. This official was connected to an investigation that implicated Syria in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. He also was involved in the arrest of a pro-Syrian politician in Beirut several weeks ago.
The bombing, which was the bloodiest incident in Lebanon's capitol since 2008, destroyed cars, damaged buildings, and left a large crater near Sassine Square. Syrian officials reportedly condemned the attack saying it was an act of terrorism and called it "cowardly." Baptist Press reports indicate fear that the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad–the current president of Syria–wants to create conflict in Lebanon to move the focus from Syria.
The attack happened in a Christian neighborhood. The Southern Baptist International Mission Board quotes a Christian worker in Lebanon who summarized his concerns this way: "Pray that it wouldn't escalate into further violence. It's easy in this kind of situation for people to jump to conclusions and assume they know who did it and why. Things have been tense already." There are already people protesting the attack by blocking roads and gunfire.
The ministry is asking for prayer that people would be open to Jesus and seek out the real source of security.
Christian workers in Lebanon are praying that the truth comes out and that innocent people won't be targets. Fear can drive people to irrational action. Please pray with them. Pray that these workers would be part of the reconciliation and healing in the region.
Pray that innocent people won't be targeted as part of a revenge cycle. "We want justice to be done, but not at the expense of a true expression of biblical grace. They go hand-in-hand."
