“God’s love is like an ocean. You can see its beginning, but not its end.” Rick Warren
Thank you to everyone who contacted us last week about Do Justice prayers. We experienced technical difficulty with this website that has now been resolved. You can read last week's prayers at this link.
The fires that destroyed Lahainna, Maui last week have claimed over 90 lives and devastated an entire region, making it the most deadly wildfires in US history. We pray for the recovery efforts and for those who have lost people, homes, livelihoods.
God of Grace,
The power of devastation is hard to fathom. Provide for the people who have lost everything. Encourage those continuing to labor and recover the remains of dozens of lost lives. We pray for the recovery of the land. We trust that your power made perfect in weakness is enough to heal this community.
A Montana state court ruled in favor of 16 youth saying that the young people’s constitutional right to a clean environment was violated by the Montana Legislature by ignoring the climate effects of fossil fuels and twice revising the Montana Environmental Policy Act to exclude consideration of climate emissions.
While political responses vary, the hope for a just future in the midst of climate change caused chaos remains. We take this as an opportunity to pray into this situation:
God, the planet you made is groaning. And the youth are trying to do something about it. We pray for the impulse to silence those we disagree with to be subject to your spirit of truth to be what guides the decisions on how we will live on your planet together. We need your spirit and the fruit that it brings. Help us live gently on this earth now.
Mangrove forests in Indonesia, which provide huge carbon storage and protection from erosion and coastal storms, are being cut down for charcoal at an increasing rate. Mangrove wood is it ideal for charcoal production and particularly good for barbeques. But it is a resource-intensive process with little return. Sixteen tonnes of raw material only produces three tonnes of charcoal. Harvesters would like to quit this line of work but don’t have other ways to feed their families.
God, this choice between feeding a family and doing work that destroys your earth can not possibly be your plan. But for so many, this choice is real. So we pray for pathways to provision. We pray that a better way to make livings would be available to those in this line of work. We pray that this choice between food and sustainable living, felt too often in your world of abundance and enough, would be a choice no one has to make.
The Canadian National Gathering hosted participants from across Canada in May to learn more about reconciliation. You can now get a taste of the event and watch the recordings of the plenary sessions.
Nine ministries are joining to equip and encourage our congregations more than ever before. Our new name is Thrive. In coming together, we hope to provide churches with one-stop access to support resources that are fully integrated, and responsive to the changing needs of local congregations. To learn more, see this news story.
The Reformed family is a diverse family with a diverse range of opinions. Not all perspectives expressed on the blog represent the official positions of the Christian Reformed Church. Learn more about this blog, Reformed doctrines, and our diversity policy on our About page.
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