Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

¹ Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
² From the ends of the earth I call to You,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
³ For You have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.
⁴ I long to dwell in Your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.
~ Psalm 61

Is there a better prayer for us to pray today? We need to stand on the rock, call to the One who is higher than us, take refuge in the strong tower, and come under the protection of the shadow of His wings.

“Our life is nothing but as it were a web woven with interminglings of wants and favours, crosses and blessings, standings and failing, combat and victory, therefore there should be a perpetual intercourse of praying and praising in our hearts.”
~ Richard Sibbes

Petition: Please join with us in praying for:

1. The World – The number of confirmed cases is 18,240,644 (up 1,807,542 in the week – compared with 1,708,834 the previous week). There have been 692,894 deaths of people with Covid-19 (up 39,908 compared with 42,043 last week).
The big increase this week has been in India. It is reckoned that 50% of some areas in Mumbai have had 50% Covid-19 and yet few deaths – in other words, there is some herd immunity.
The BBC had a report from Iran which stated that the number of deaths was over 40,000, compared to the 14,000 the regime admits to. Given that these are only the deaths in hospitals. the true number is likely to be far higher.

2. Australia – now has had 18,318 cases (up 3,520 in the past week compared with 2,601 in the previous), with 221 deaths.

Melbourne is now in a stage 4 lockdown, with an emergency curfew being enforced.

There are 408 241 people in hospital (+167) with 46 in intensive care (-5). 4,346,382 tests have been carried out, with 0.4% being positive. 10,421 people have recovered. There are 6,591 active cases.

3. Vaccine and Cures – A coronavirus vaccine developed by Australian researchers has generated an immune response to the disease and been proven safe for use in the first round of human trials. The vaccine known as ‘Covax-19’ was developed by professor Nikolai Petrovsky from Flinders University in Adelaide and cleared the phase one trial this month.

It is the first Australian-developed vaccine to pass the first round of trials, which sees the treatment tested on 40 volunteers, none of whom recorded any significant side effects.

4. Church – There is now substantial evidence that there has been a significant drop-off in regular churchgoers attending online. Perhaps it is Zoom fatigue – but we should be concerned that people do not become isolated, tired and spiritually cold.

5. Personal and Family – Numerous weddings have been cancelled, and there is now a significant backlog well into next year. Pray for those who are waiting to get married and who are uncertain about what will happen.

A Prayer of Repentance:

Almighty God, who has promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in Your Son’s Name:
We beseech You mercifully to incline Your ears to us that have now made our prayers and supplications unto You; and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to Your will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of our necessity, and to the setting forth of Your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Book of Common Prayer)

A Prayer of Thanksgiving:
O Lord, in the midst of the worry, concern and even fear, we praise You that You are Father of all mercies, the God of compassion and the Comforter. We thank You that those this virus may be out of control in some areas, yet nothing is out of Your control, and all things work together for the good of those who love You. Enable us to keep our eyes fixed on You, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, the Giver of all good things, in Christ’s name, Amen.