Lebanon (MNN) — Lebanon will hold elections on May 15. But the largest Sunni political bloc, the Future Movement, has decided not to run.
The leader Saad Hariri comes from a long line of politicians. But in January he suspended his involvement in politics, and other family members followed suit.
Nuna with Triumphant Mercy Lebanon says, “So now the Sunnis have no leader, they have no one that represents them in the government. So this makes the balance of power a bit difficult. The Shiites are really working hard to get more power.”
Nuna says this imbalance may give more power to Iran in the end, since the Iranian government embraces Shia Islam. “So the Christians have a big vote to do. And they are the ones who will determine later if the Shia will take more power or not. Because they do have a voice.”
“The problem is that many Christians don’t want to vote. They think, ‘Oh, my voice doesn’t matter.’”
Christians make up a significant portion of Lebanon’s population, and the government has traditionally shared power between Christians, Sunni Muslims, and Shia Muslims.
Nuna says an attempt to force Iran’s strict Islamic law on Lebanon could lead to civil war. It would certainly lead to more sanctions and poverty. “Later on, we might be forbidden to evangelize, forbidden to speak plainly about Jesus, even on the streets or during our ministries or during our home visits.”
How to pray
Pray many will experience Jesus’ love through the care of TM Lebanon.
And pray Iran’s government will not gain more power over Lebanon’s people through these elections. Ask God to empower Christians to use their voices for peace and justice.
Header photo courtesy of Clker-Free-Vector-Images on Pixabay.
