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Prayers: Matt. 6:9

“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your name,
Your Kingdom Come
Your Will be Done,
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us our debts
As we forgive our debtors…’

This is not teaching us a formula or a quid pro quo. It’s not: God will forgive us if we first forgive those who have been against us. But rather, it is because we are forgiven people, that we too can forgive. It’s also a warning against the hypocrisy of seeking forgiveness from God, whilst having an unforgiving heart ourselves. In other words, the knowledge of our own (thoroughly undeserved) forgiveness enables us to forgive others. Perhaps this would be a good time to forgive those who have hurt and wounded us.

Petition: Please join with us in praying for:

1. Turkey – has had 10,827 cases with 168 people dying with Covid-19. Turkey is deeply concerning because it has gone from almost zero to 10,000 in a very short space of time.
2. The ACT – Has 78 cases and had their first death yesterday. In Australia as a whole it is a cause for thankfulness that the rate of increase for the whole of Australia has now dropped for the 4^th day in a row. There were 266 new cases for a total of 4.359.
3. For President Donald Trump and the US Senate and Congress as they have to deal with the increasing number of cases and deaths in the US.
4. For Church treasurers as they face the new situation and the need to maintain finances and pay staff.
5. For those who live alone – who may be feeling even more isolated at this time.

A Prayer of Repentance: Lord, forgive us when we have been unforgiving. Forgive us for every grudge and bitter memory we have clung on to. We confess that we are far more ready to reach for Your forgiveness whilst holding on to our own bitterness. Father forgive us… that we may forgive others.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving: Sovereign God – we praise You that You restrain evil. That this world is not as evil as it could be. We bless You for the good news of the spread of this virus being limited – and we plead with You that this would continue to be the case not only in Australia, but also throughout the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Daily devotions by David Robertson via Christians United — COVID19 Call to Prayer.