“God is great. God is faithful. And His love is set upon us. We come as we are, with trembling trust.” ― Sandra McCracken
Hurricane Fiona decimated Puerto Rico in the last week but also deeply affected the East Coast of the United States and Canada. In Canada, houses washed away and the damage was extensive. We pray for recovery:
God of restoration, we pray for all those picking up the pieces of destroyed infrastructure and property in Eastern Canada. Provide shelter and power for those who lost it in this storm, meeting their needs through your people. We pray for miracles of provision, of kindness and of hope, even when so much is lost.
The United Nations has ordered the evacuation of all non-essential international workers from Haiti, citing ongoing violence that has left workers vulnerable to kidnapping and attacks last week on U.N.-backed food and charity warehouses across the country. Aid workers such as those with Doctors without Borders are at great risk and are trying to get out of the country.
Father God, we pray for resolution to the violent fighting in Haiti. We pray for those who are trapped in their homes to be able to work, find food and access medical care. We pray for those who are aiding Haitians to be kept safe, and that you would reveal the root causes of the destructive instability and cause them to be addressed and healed, in Jesus’ name.
Multiple mass Graves showing terrible violence and over 400 deaths, have been revealed as Russian troops have fled the occupied city of Izium. The wages of war are death. As Ukraine takes back territory, the Russian government is looking to mobilize citizens but 1000’s have fled Russia before this can happen.
We pray for an end to the violence.
God help the people of Ukraine and the innocent citizens of Russia who do not want to be dragged into a war. Help God. We don’t know what stops this level of power, hubris and violence but we know it is not of you. We ask for your grace in Ukraine again and again. Deliver them from this evil. And be at work healing those who have lost loved ones in this reason-less war.
Protests sparked by the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini have spread across the country. They have been met with internet shutdowns and violent repression. Over 450 people have been arrested and the official death toll in the unrest is 41, with human rights groups say the true number may be higher.
The protests are some of the largest and seem to have taken hold in a way that the last 5 years of protests against government repression, widespread corruption, limited representation of citizens, weakened social services and economic distress.
Lord of Dignity, may the women who are leading the charge of these protests be kept safe. The longing for an ability to have agency and freedom is being met with violence so we pray for the violence to cease and for the people of Iran to be allowed to grow into greater freedom. May the powers and principalities that always seek to violently control and repress rather than serve be rebuked even here Lord. Keep Iranians safe.
This popular workshop is now available as an online course in Canada and the U.S. Faith in Action is designed to help you grow in five key advocacy areas: research methods, key messages, letter writing, planning talking points, and setting up in-person meetings. Sharing your well-informed opinion can make a real difference on the justice issues that you care about, and can bring about long-term changes to unjust systems. Find the course at learn.crcna.org
September 30th 2022 is the second time Canada will mark a National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. It coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots commemoration marked by the wearing of Orange Shirts for children forced to leave their families and attend residential schools. This reflection is designed to take approximately half an hour and we recommend that you take space to listen and reflect.
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.
In order to steward ministry shares well, commenting isn’t available on Do Justice itself because we engage with comments and dialogue in other spaces. To comment on this post, please visit the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue’s Facebook page (for Canada-specific articles) or the Office of Social Justice’s Facebook page. Alternatively, please email us. We want to hear from you!
Read more about our comment policy.