Weekly devotion: Defending Dignity & Renewing Strength
A restricted road, built to connect Jerusalem with the Gush Etzion settlement, runs through Beit Jala, West Bank, alongside the Separation Barrier.
This week we pray for Palestinians facing travel bans in the West Bank. Our partners at the Society of St Yves help people challenge these restrictions and regain the freedom to work, attend places of worship, visit family and access healthcare.
Freedom of movement is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and woven into the dignity God gives every person. It is the right to travel safely, to access work, healthcare, education and places of worship, and to be with loved ones. Yet many people in the West Bank have this freedom curtailed by checkpoints, roadblocks, permit systems and the separation barrier, particularly in relation to travel to and from Jerusalem. This turns everyday journeys into exhausting and unpredictable struggles, and at times prevents them altogether.
For many years, Embrace has partnered with the Society of St Yves to stand alongside Palestinians facing movement restrictions. The Society, based in the Old City of Jerusalem, offers legal advice, rights education and advocacy to ensure people can understand and put into action the correct legal ways of challenging unjust travel bans. Through legal consultations and court representation where needed, the Society directly supports around 900 people each year across West Bank communities.
Most of those receiving assistance are men, who frequently face travel restrictions linked to work. But behind each case is a wider family whose lives are shaped by these limits, and the Society estimates that around 4,500 people benefit every year.
This week, we pray for the Society of St Yves and all those they serve. We pray for their safety and for the continued positive impact of a ministry that upholds the rights and dignity of those facing injustice.
Bible reading
‘Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.’
Isaiah 40:28-31
Thought
Isaiah assures us that the Lord does not grow tired, and that he gives strength to those worn down by waiting. The work of the Society of St Yves reflects this faithfulness, as they walk with Palestinians facing the uncertainty of long legal struggles. It is hard to persevere when rights are denied and hope feels distant, but the Society’s work shows how a steadfast commitment to justice gets results. Even when putting one foot in front of the other makes us weary and faint, we can trust that God won’t give up on us; that by putting our faith in him, we can renew our power to endure.
Ask yourself: How is God inviting you to wait, endure, or stand faithfully with others who are weary?
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You are the everlasting God who never tires of your people, and you renew the strength of those who wait in uncertainty. We ask for your blessings on the Society of St Yves and all who strive for freedom, dignity and peace in the West Bank. Give safe passage to those who face restrictions and long delays, and wisdom to those offering legal advocacy. Give hope where spirits fade and help us to reflect your faithfulness through patient prayer and solidarity.
Amen
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