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Psalm 119:17-24 – Please read the whole section

Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word. ¹⁸Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. ¹⁹I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. ²⁰My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.

What a great motivation for asking the Lord to be good to us — that we may obey him!

When we pray we should pray that our eyes would be opened to see wonderful things in God’s word. Have we become tired of the Word of God?

Then, as Martin Luther said, we are tired of life. What has struck me in this COVID crisis is just how much the Word of God applies directly to our situation.

I have been doing 5-minute meditations on the Book of Job every weekday — here for example is today’s meditation:

Each day Christians get in touch to say how much they have been helped by God speaking through his Word. Let us pray…

“O that, in the strength of love to Christ, and zeal for the glory of God, you will pour out your hearts in service, and, like a river, sweep down all discouragements before you.” John Flavel

Petition: Please join with us in praying for:

1. The World – There have been 240,630,839 cases (+2,785,978 – down 20%). There are now 4,897,797 of people with covid (+ 46,288 – a 10% decrease). Russia is the area of most concern where the death rate is high because of low vaccinations. Another area of concern is Iran — where thousands of children have been left without a parent. This link explains more.

Malaysia has seen a welcome decrease.

2. Australia – There have been 143,135 cases in total. (Up 15,681 – a slight decrease)

At this point, according to the modelling, the NSW hospitals were supposed to be at a peak of hospitalisations — but the number has dropped to 600 in hospital and 132 in ICU.

Victoria continues to see high numbers (around 1900 today) but will ease its lockdown at the end of the week. There have been 1,320,169 tests in the past week. There are 1,441 people in hospital (-5) with 298 in ICU (+5). There are 29,044 active cases (+3,270).

3. Vaccine and Cures – 3.74 billion people in the world have received at least one dose. 48.7% of the population. Australia now has 72% one dose, 56% fully vaccinated. NSW has 81% fully dosed and 92% first dose — enabling the lockdown to be lifted. Victoria has over 70% double dosed — again enabling the lockdown to be lifted.

4. Church – Churches face increasing scrutiny and sometimes unfair attack from the media. In the words of Steve McAlpine’s perceptive book, we are set up as ‘Being the Bad Guys’. An example of this was the attack on Bishop Rod Chiswell. The story is here:

Pray for wisdom for church leaders in dealing with the press.

5. Personal and Family – Children in NSW and the ACT will be returning to school this week. Others in Victoria will wait. And others have not been away from school. Pray for all those affected by a disrupted education.

A Prayer of Repentance:

O Lord, Ps 119 tells us that you rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed. Deliver us from pride and arrogance. Help us to walk humbly before you. Give us your grace, gentleness and joy, in your merciful name — Amen.

Song: Love this open-air worship and praise!

A Prayer of Thanksgiving:

Lord, your statutes are my delight; they are my counsellors. We bless you for them. Open our eyes, hearts and minds, Amen.

___

Originally published on ChristiansUnited.online. Image by Pixabay on Pexels.