Day 15
Iraq
Lord, we pray that the rulers and the Iraqis will know that life and death is in the tongue. The tongue is so small yet it has such great power. As the bit and the rudder have such an effect, so the small tongue can do great things. Lord, in Iraq words have moved crowds to do bad things, and the crisis has changed the future of the nation. Lord, admonish the rulers who boast with big talks but it has caused much damage. We pray for the Christian Believers to have control of the tongue, and the wise use of words. A little flame can destroy a great forest. What people say can be as dangerous as that fire. Make them use their tongue to bless people (The Bible, James 3:5).
Iraq is listed in 18th position in the World Watch Report 2023 by Open Doors for Christian persecution. Modern Iraq occupies what was once ancient Mesopotamia, but the world now knows Iraq less as a memorial to its vibrant history and more as a bloody battleground. The current president is Barham Salih. The incumbent Prime Minister of Iraq is Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, who holds most of the executive authority and is appointed to the Council of Ministers, which acts as a cabinet and/or government. In Iraq, the presence of Islamic extremist groups and their ideology continue to influence society. Christians are pressured to conform to the Islamic way of life and are often faced with physical abuse or the threat of kidnapping. The Iraqi government discriminates against Christians in various contexts, from the workplace to traveling checkpoints across the country. Blasphemy laws can be used to punish Christians who try to spread the gospel.
