Syria (MNN) — Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara is condemning violence that erupted in his country over the weekend, claiming that no one responsible for the mass killings of Assad supporters and minority groups will be above the law.
“Today, as we stand at this critical moment, we find ourselves facing a new danger – attempts by remnants of the former regime and their foreign backers to incite new strife and drag our country into a civil war, aiming to divide it and destroy its unity and stability,” he said Sunday in a televised speech. 
Yet the events of this weekend give credence to the idea that peace in Syria may yet be illusory, and the president himself may be undermining it. Mr. al-Shara’s intentions, while verbally sound, have yet to be backed by widespread action.
“What government structures are going to be put in place to uphold what they say?” asks Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs USA regarding government rhetoric. “There are just so many questions at this early stage.”
Nettleton says over the last few months, Syrian pastors have been hearing a distinct message from their new leadership, and it is not one of peace. He references a Syrian colleague who leads Ananias House Ministry.
“He has heard from multiple pastors in multiple parts of Syria that what they are hearing from the new government is: Just wait. Once we get established, once we get our feet on the ground, then we’ll deal with the Christians,” Nettleton says.
Even if pledges to tolerate Christians pan out, Nettleton says it is important to remember this includes only traditional Christian communities: Orthodox, Catholic, and so forth. A Muslim convert to Christianity is not promised anything.
“They consider that person an apostate,” Nettleton says.
Please pray for the children of God in Syria.
“They certainly would love it if the government does provide protection for Christian communities, but they’re not going to wait around for that to happen. They are going to continue to be bold witnesses for Christ,” Nettleton says.
Please pray that believers would be encouraged and strengthened daily. Pray that God would meet every physical need, and pray that spiritual blessing would abound in the face of material want.
Please pray for the families affected by recent violence.
And pray too for those in authority: that they would promote peace and wellbeing for all their citizens, and that they would come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Header image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Note: The email feed of this story mistakenly named the former president Bashar al-Assad instead of the current president Ahmed al-Shara.
