Poverty, disease, war, unjust cultural practices, structural racism, gender inequality and misunderstanding, colonialism, climate change, institutional greed and corruption, fires and floods, volcanos and tsunamis.  

Lord, as we humbly come before you, we may feel overwhelmed with the list of things to pray for in a world of injustice. Sometimes it feels easier to contain our prayers to our own family and friends or simply to pray our personal needs.  

But as fear and powerlessness overtake us, you invite us to stop and breathe.  

You invite us to be still and know that you are God.  

You are the God who sees all, knows all and has power over all.  

You are the God who invites us to join with you in the call to bring heaven to earth.  

You are the God who came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth and walked among us and showed us the way.  

As we consider Baptist World Aid and reflect on its vision, to see a world where poverty has ended and all people enjoy the fullness of life God intends, our prayer for the board, staff, volunteers, donors, church partners, overseas partners and the people we impact across the globe is that we are all being formed in your image.  

As we slow our breathing and open our hearts to your Spirit, we virtually stand shoulder to shoulder, all facing the future that is bathed with the light of your goodness and love.  

We see that as Australian Christians, our lives are surrounded by individualism and consumerism and we could easily outsource our impact. Our prayer, Lord, is that you help us to recognise that we are an important part of your restoration story.  

We ask you Lord to help us respond to your invitation to be a part of that story and to be formed into the image of Christ.  

Lord, we recognise that there are vulnerable people around the globe, who are living in poverty and oppression. We recognise that these people are not faceless victims. They have names, and families and friends, like we do. They are individuals who Jesus died for. 

We recognise that they need food, water, medicine, safety and shelter and that God is also inviting them to be transformed into image of Christ. 

So we pray for the work of Baptist World Aid and its Christian partners around the world, that they would grow in their impact as they love their neighbours.  

We pray that they would reach every vulnerable individual and work with them to overcome the injustices and challenges to their freedom.  

We pray they would walk into the fullness of life God has for them.  

As God’s people, we seek your guidance as to how we can be involved and how we can join in God’s global restoration story, as your Plan A. 

We pray in the name of Jesus. 

And we pray together as our Lord taught us to pray. 

Our father in heaven 

Hallowed by your name 

Your kingdom come 

Your will be done 

On earth as in heaven 

Give us today our daily bread 

And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us 

Lead us not into temptation  

But deliver us from evil 

For yours is the kingdom, power and glory 

Now and forever 

Amen 

Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?’ (Matthew 16:24-26 New International Version)