‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12).

In the wake of today’s horrifying Westminster bridge terror attack in London, United Kingdom, Lent uniquely positioned us to overcome the fear that the terrorists seek to spread. The way the attacker plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before he crashed the car and attempted to enter the Parliament building with a knife before being shot by armed police points to the forces of evil sent to kill and to destroy.

Lent calls us to work and pray for peace in the spirit for God’s kingdom to come in the places where darkness and pains currently prevails. Lent opens our eyes to the ongoing spiritual battle being waged as well as the ones we see in the physical dimension. In Lent, prayer makes a difference in our physical and spiritual realms bearing in mind that ‘Peace will win, fear will lose.’ As we remember the four people killed, including one police officer and one man believed to be the assailant, with 20 others injured, some severely, let us pray tonight for the victims, their families, for all affected by this terrible attack and those who responded so bravely. Lent calls us to be peacemakers, engaging ‘as children of the Living God, just as we have been called, and empowered to be’ in JESUS CHRIST.

Prayers: Let us pray for peace for the injured, peace for the bereaved, peace for everyone who is afraid, peace for the UK and our world. In such a time as this, let us pray that God gives us opportunities to express grace and peace to the Muslims who live in our communities. Let us pray for the government as they face the challenge of how to stop such kinds of terrorists attacks from happening.