Let’s Choose Life
When any in government believe they should allow teenagers as young as 14 to have access to voluntary assisted dying without allowing any parental or community consultation, they lack wisdom. We are told that if anyone lacks wisdom, we can ask God and it shall be given us. So, let’s ask in faith, nothing wavering. (Jam 1:5-6) and choose life in a world where assisted suicide seems to be increasingly available to anyone that wants it. We are told that whenever a country has gone down the euthanasia path it gradually lessens its protections. ACT government is now proposing to start, with the bar for euthanasia set at very low level. Have they really thought that 14-year-olds who are too young to drive or vote are mature enough to make an informed decision about the most precious thing they have, which is their life? All States except NT have already legalised assisted suicide for people over 18 years old who have a terminal illness and given less than six to 12 months to live. They have also left the door open for dementia patients to access the scheme. When any in government believe the state reigns supreme over the individual, then all values of religion can be replaced with the ethos of the state. Archbishop Fisher doesn’t trust ACT government to enforce safeguards around assisted suicide. Bills like this imply that life is worthless, and money is wasted on trying to prevent the suicides of young people and adults in both indigenous and non-indigenous communities.
Australia is now being given the same choice as the Israelites were given – the choice between good and evil, between life and death. If we obey the commands of the LORD, love Him, obey Him, and keep all His laws, then we will prosper and become a great nation. But if we disobey and refuse to listen, and are led away to worship other gods, we will be destroyed. We are given a choice between life and death, between God’s blessing or God’s curse. We are encouraged to choose life and love the LORD our God, obey Him and be faithful to Him, and then we and our descendants will live long in the land (based on Gen30:15-20)
Let’s pray:
* That the Lord will give wisdom and knowledge to all those lead in our nation that they may be given discernment as they govern (2 Chr 1:10)
* That many more in our nation will know the Lord is medicine to us when we are sick. He is our strength when we are weak. He is life itself when we fear death. He is the way we long for heaven. He is light when all is dark (based on St Ambrose)
* That the love and respect that we as parents have for our children will be allowed to flourish and grow. That we will be able to discern their deep needs physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Praying for the Voice
This is the final week of our season of prayer for the voice. This week let us pray for all those engaged in the campaign in order that the result of the referendum is the best outcome for Australia and in line with God’s perfect will.
Let us pray:
* For wisdom of all those in positions of influence regarding the Voice debate: the Referendum Working Group, the Referendum Engagement Group, the Constitutional Expert Group, all MPs and Senators, Premiers, Chief Ministers of the ACT and NT, state and local governments that they would campaign with honesty and integrity.
* Pray similarly for wisdom for all engaged in the yes and no campaigns and the media.
* also, for First Nations organisations, corporations, unions, faith groups, sporting codes, First Nations sportspeople, and community organisations, etc.
Indigenous Youth in Remote Communities
The proportion of Indigenous youth in Australia’s very remote communities who have a job, a traineeship, or who study has fallen to below a third according to new data compiled under the redesigned national agreement on Closing the Gap. The data also shows a jump in the rate at which Indigenous juveniles are jailed. In addition, it shows that intentional self-harm remains the leading cause of death among Indigenous youths aged 15 to 19 and the rate is increasing.
The numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples aged 15 to 24 who were “fully engaged in education, employment or training” has increased, and is on track to meet the target that 62% of this group will be employed by 2031. However, this trend is seen in regional towns and cities and in major cities, but not in Australia’s remote and very remote areas. In remote areas the employment rate in this group is 35%. Australia is not on track to reduce the rate of Indigenous children in out-of-home care by 45% by 2031. Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney was encouraged that the data showed more First Nations children than ever were enrolled in preschool and that there were fewer First Nations youth in detention, but said that overall, only four of the nineteen Closing the Gap targets are on track.
Please pray:
“Mercy to the needy is a loan from God, and God plays back those loans in full.” Proverbs 19:17 MSG
* Pray for Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney as she oversees the Closing the Gap agreement and programme. Ask the Lord to give her the wisdom and courage and mercy and energy needed to address the sad situation of Indigenous youth in remote communities.
* Let us ask the Lord to bring hope to these young people. Pray for their education and opportunities for work.
* Pray that all funds directed to addressing the needs of these remote communities is spent wisely and to their advantage.
Praying for Issues in the News
* The Matilda’s have captured the hearts of the nation as they battle their way through the World Cup. By the time this bulletin is received we will know whether they have won through to the final. Events such as this unite a nation in ways that is difficult to achieve so let us pray that irrespective of scores the experience of watching and following the Matilda’s will have a positive effect upon the nation and that the unity that has flowed in recent weeks will not be lost but can be carried over to other areas where we need to pull together as a nation.
* State and Territory leaders have agreed to deliver an extra 200,000 homes on top of national housing targets giving a total build target of 1.2M homes over the next 5 years. Whilst Government announcements such as this often do not materialise let us pray that in view of the housing shortage being experienced in our nation that on this occasion the plans announced will be achieved and the current housing shortage will be overcome in years to come.
Praying for Others
This week let us pray for Kenya. Abdul’s father threatened to kill him when he discovered Abdul had left Islam to follow Jesus. Thank God that Abdul has stood firm in the faith. Pray for his father.
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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