If you haven't followed OSJ Prayers in the past, welcome! Justice Prayers (formerly OSJ Prayers) is a weekly post with 3-5 prayers addressing justice issues from around the world, sent straight to Do Justice subscribers' inboxes every Wednesday. (Find past issues of Prayers here, or access them from our Do Justice homepage.)
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced $53 million in new Canadian funding to support the needs of Venezuelans, including the three million refugees who have fled the South American country’s humanitarian crisis. Trudeau said the bulk of the funding will go to “trusted” organizations on the ground in Venezuela and to neighboring countries for handling the influx of refugees. Last month, Canada joined the United States and other nations in recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself the interim president of Venezuela. Mr. Guaido is in a leadership showdown with socialist President Nicolas Maduro, whose regime has been accused of crimes against humanity.
God, we pray that the people of Venezuela would indeed receive the support and help that they need, and that eventually they may be able to live safely and to flourish. We pray in the midst of the tenuous situation that vulnerable people are facing, and we pray that leaders in Venezuela -- and around the world -- may make decisions guided by a commitment to justice.
At least a third of the huge ice fields in Asia’s towering Himalayan mountain chain will melt due to climate change, with serious consequences for almost 2 billion people, according to a landmark report released this week. Even if carbon emissions are dramatically and rapidly cut and succeed in limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above levels recorded in the 1880s, 36 percent of the glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region will have gone by 2100. The glaciers are a critical water store for the 250 million people who live in the region, and 1.65 billion people rely on the great rivers that flow from the peaks into India, Pakistan, China, and other nations. The new report highlights how vulnerable many mountain people are, with one-third living on less than $1.90 a day.
God, we pray for wisdom in the changes that governments, businesses, and each of us will make in response to the various threats of climate change. We pray for all who will suffer because of disasters that can develop because of climate change. We pray knowing that the world, and our lives, are in your hands; we pray knowing that you have tasked us to be stewards and protectors of your good gifts; we pray knowing that you are the Alpha and the Omega.
Today the Supreme Court of Pakistan upheld its decision to acquit Asia Bibi, a woman who spent eight years in prison convicted of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad, a crime punishable by death there. The case was particularly contentious in Pakistan, among the worst-ranked countries in the world for persecution of Christians. The Supreme Court decision came shortly after more than 500 Islamic clerics in Pakistan signed the “Islamabad Declaration” condemning attacks on Christians and other sects as violations of the religion’s teachings.
God, for the freedom of our sister Asia we offer prayers of thanks. We pray for all who are persecuted for their faith in you. We give thanks too for the Muslim leaders in Pakistan who are committed to teaching ways of peace. We pray for all faith leaders who take risks so that they might speak truth to power, against violence, and in the name of love. God, may friendship grow between people of different faiths -- whether in far away places or near to home -- and may your love shown through your children draw people to you.
Iowa's "fetal heartbeat" law — the most restrictive abortion limit in the country — may not be enforced, according to a judge’s ruling, because it violates the Iowa Constitution. The law, passed last spring, would ban nearly all abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, around six weeks into a pregnancy. And on the federal level, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide this week whether to intervene in the first of more than a dozen abortion-related cases that are moving through the system, and many are watching the Court for signs of whether, with its new members, it will continue to uphold Roe v. Wade.
God, we pray for the lives of human beings yet to be born, known, and loved by you. We pray for women and men who are considering abortion, and for those who have experienced abortions. We pray for wisdom for legislators who have power to enact or oppose, and for judges who may strike down or uphold -- and we ask for policies that will protect and defend the vulnerable. We pray for justice, for your will, to be done.
Are you interested in how climate change affects the global community? A joint effort of the Climate Witness Project and World Renew, the East Africa Climate Witness Bootcamp will bring a group of nine participants on a 10-day trip through eastern Africa. The trip will inspire, educate, and equip every participant to return prepared to advocate on climate change. Learn more and sign up for the trip!
During the Congressional Recess starting February 16, the Office of Social Justice and its partners will be equipping constituents to organize legislative meetings across the United States. Contact Melissa for immigration/refugee issues at mstek@crcna.org, and contact Andrew for climate change and creation care at aoppong@crcna.org.
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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