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Rise up, O God, and defend Your cause;
remember how fools mock You all day long.
~ Psalm 74:22

Psalm 74 is a song of believers in desperation. Jerusalem was taken over in 587 BC, and the temple is in ruins. The people feel neglected, the enemies mock their faith, and they cry out to the Lord. Those who mock God are foolish.

“It is better to be in any place with Christ than to be in Heaven without Him.
All delicacies without Christ are but as a funeral banquet.
Where the master of the feast is away, there is nothing but solemness.”
~ Sibbes

Petition: Please join with us in praying for:

1. The World — The number of confirmed cases is 46,402,338 (up 3,489,508 from last week).
There have been 1,199,162 deaths of people with Covid-19 (up 446,433).
Much of Europe is back into lockdown, numbers of cases continue to rise in Europe.
Colombia has seen exponential growth. Numbers in Brazil are dropping.

2. Australia — now has had 27,595 cases (up 75 compared with 130 in the previous week), with 907 deaths (+2 compared with 1 the previous week).

State	Total Cases	Weekly Change TW/LW	Total Deaths	Change in Deaths TW/LW
ACT	114	+0 (1)	3	0
NSW	4,425	+ 87 (44)	53	0
NT	33	+0	0	0
QLD	1,172	+5 (3)	6	0
SA	501	+10 (4)	4	0
TAS	230	+ 0 (0)	13	0
VIC	20,346	+31 (28)	819	+2 (1)
WA	769	+9 (46)	9	0

There are 17 people in hospital (+0) with 1 in intensive care (+1).
8,825,186 tests have been carried out, with 0.3% being positive.
25,103 people have recovered. There are 174 (-56) active cases.
On Sunday we had the first day for 5 months
when there were no community transmissions for the whole of Australia.
Victoria has now gone three days without any.
The majority of cases in the other states are from overseas.

3. Vaccine and Cures – This report from the BBC is very helpful and informative.

The Australian Health Minister, Greg Hunt, announced on Thursday that Australia is on track to begin vaccinations in March of 2021.

4. Church – Pray for the Church in the United States as the country heads to the election later today.
May there be peace and harmony, whatever the result.

5. Personal and Family — Pray that there would be a deepening of personal and church family life.
Where repentance and forgiveness are required, may they be forthcoming.
Where renewal and love are needed, may they be generously given.

A Prayer of Repentance:

O God, why have You rejected us forever?
Why does Your anger smoulder against the sheep of your pasture?
Remember the nation You purchased long ago,
the people of Your inheritance, whom You redeemed
— Mount Zion, where You dwelt.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
~ Psalm 74:1-2

A Prayer of Thanksgiving:

But God is my King from long ago; He brings salvation on the earth.
It was You who split open the sea by Your power;
You broke the heads of the monster in the waters.
It was You who crushed the heads of Leviathan
and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.
It was You who opened up springs and streams;
You dried up the ever-flowing rivers.
The day is Yours, and Yours also the night;
You established the sun and moon.
It was You who set all the boundaries of the earth;
You made both summer and winter.
~ Psalm 74:12-17

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Twice-weekly devotions by David Robertson via Christians United — COVID19 Call to Prayer.[Photo by Alabaster Co on Unsplash]