Global Day of Prayer for Burma

This Sunday, March 9, is the 2025 Global Day of Prayer for Burma (or as some folks call it, “Myanmar”). This commemoration, sponsored by Christians Concerned for Burma (CCB) and Free the Oppressed, happens every year on the second Sunday in March. Please join us in praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and all of the people in Burma throughout the nation. You will find the prayer for Burma at the bottom of this post as both part of the article and as a PDF document. (You can pray for Burma ANY time, not just March 9, I know you know!)

Sobering Words

From Dave Eubank, founder of the Free Burma Rangers (FBR) we learn that “We are now in the 74th year of war in Burma and the last three years since the coup have been the most intense: over 3.5 million displaced in these last few years and thousands killed.” They have lost many friends and the suffering is great. Eubank reveals that the dictators are supported by Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and other countries “as they slaughter their own people.”

Words of Grace

Listen to these powerful and challenging statements from Eubank, and as you pray for Burma, consider how they apply to your own experience and to other areas of the world where Christians are being persecuted:

As we encourage them [pro-democracy troops] to pray for their enemies it also makes us ask the question: how can we be willing to kill another person’s child, if we would never kill our own? This is something that I’ve struggled with in thought and prayer.

God made it clear to me years ago in Burma that nothing truly precious is eternally lost. We will see each other again because of the love of Jesus. That knowledge makes room for forgiveness.

Words of Love

Eubank makes these declarations because he wants the Global Day of Prayer for Burma to be about praying for the persecutors, as well as the persecuted. He says:

Something I learned in the battle against ISIS and here in Burma is this: love is the difference between revenge and justice. The only way we get justice is with love, love for the perpetrator and the victim. Justice is born of love and forgiveness and builds up; revenge is born of hate and shame and destroys. Justice is our responsibility. Revenge will destroy us and not bring about justice or healing. . .. God will help us know when and how to take a stand.

FORGIVENESS

The Free Burma Rangers, pro-democracy fighters, are showing forgiveness to the Burma military. Eubank tells how young Rangers donated their own blood to a wounded Burman soldier “who just minutes before was trying to kill them.” He thanks Jesus that they have had a chance to pray with Burma Army soldiers and tell them who He is. “These acts of love offer hope for redemption for these soldiers who are stained by the shameful evil they have taken part in.”

(Please don’t make the mistake of thinking the perpetrators should not be called enemies, as if denying reality is “forgiveness.” No, forgiveness, which has been demonstrated by the persecuted church all over the world, is in having no illusions about whether or not the perpetrator of violence and murder is an enemy, but choosing, by the grace of God, to forgive. THAT is the power of forgiveness.)
Eubank closes by thanking us for praying for the suffering people of Burma, including the dictators and their army, so let’s pray for a powerful move of God on that nation. Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we give You praise! Thank You for hearing our prayer. Thank You for being a God who draws near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Ps. 34: 18). May the millions displaced across Burma experience Your present closeness. Thank You for being a God of comfort (2 Cor. 1: 4). May those people and communities presently grieving the loss of friends, family, and dreams of the future experience Your loving care. Thank You for being a just God. May Your justice roll down like waters (Amos 5: 24) throughout Burma on behalf of the oppressed. Thank You that You are a gracious and merciful God who is quick to forgive (Ps. 86: 15). May the people of Burma forgive others as You already have and will forgive them when they trust in You. Thank You that You are a God of love (1 Jn. 4: 8). Fill the hearts of every tribe and community with Your love. Teach all of us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecuted us (Matt. 5: 44). Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ. May the people of Burma experience freedom in mind and spirit through relationship with Jesus Christ. May the people of Burma experience freedom on every level. Only You can do this. May our hope, the hope of the people of Burma, only be in You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.