The Welcoming Love of God
It is often not easy for individuals, communities, or nations to love and welcome newcomers. It can also be hard for them to feel welcome and loved. When Europeans came to Australia they did not always expect to be loved or welcomed by the First Nation people, even though some were. After Europeans became the dominant culture, they then found they had to cope with people coming from other nations with their different cultures, foods, and beliefs. Many were welcomed, some warmly, some reluctantly, and some not at all. A white Australia policy selectively excluded some. We all have inherited so much from those who have gone before. Some came to Australia with a desire to keep God’s precepts and observe His laws (Ps 106:44-45) some had been already rejected by their home society. Others came feeling alienated from God and chose not to follow Christ. Many have wanted to do things to benefit our nation. A surprising number have welcomed and loved those coming from a variety of different backgrounds. But there are still quite a few new arrivals who have felt rejected, unwelcome, or excluded.
Those of us who long to feel loved and welcomed can easily wonder if we really do belong. These could be young people who just feel alienated from others. It does include a number who had regularly attended religious institutions such as churches. Paul had been rejected by some of his own race who were filled with jealousy (Acts 13:45) or refused to believe him (Acts 14:2) He had been excluded by some (Acts15:19) or by those who felt they would lose their employment, or their traditions would be discredited (Acts 19:25). Some church members even looked down on him (2 Cor12:11). Instead of being welcome his ministry had been discredited which resulted in emotional hardships, distress, and sleepless nights. But he learnt to cope with both glory and dishonour, bad reports, and good reports, with being regarded as an imposter though he was genuine or being unknown though he was known. Despite feeling sorrowful, he was always rejoicing. Though having nothing, he was always making others rich and possessed everything. (from 2Cor 7) It is not only what people say or how they act that can cause people to feel alienated. Entertaining negative thoughts of a seemingly minor nature is so easy. Let’s thank God that there are those who are not easily depressed. Some are challenged by those who are not easy to welcome.
Let’s pray:
* That churches and towns develop a real sense of community and those who want to join in and be part of them experience the real love of God and not feel excluded, marginalised, or alienated.
* That God’s people will be compelled by Christ’s love (2Cor5:14) to open their hearts wide to those who feel marginalised or alienated and not withhold their affection from them (2 Cor 6:11)
* Thanking the LORD that He forgives all our nation’s sins and heals all our diseases. That He redeems our lives from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion. That He satisfies our desires with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Ps 103:2-5)
World Prayer Assembly
For the next couple of weeks, we are undergirding in prayer the upcoming World Prayer Assembly in Perth being held from 3rd-6th October.
Please pray:
* For an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon the Assembly as people gather to pray for the nations.
* Pray that all whom God intends to be at the Assembly will find their way there overcoming any hurdles put in their way.
* That the blending of the cultures of those attending will rise as a sweet aroma to the Lord and also be a blessing to those attending.
Peak Obstetricians’ Body Warns of Women at Risk from Expanded Access to Abortion Pill
The National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynecologists has raised the alarm over Anthony Albanese’s expansion of abortion pill access. The not-for-profit pharmaceutical company MS Health has applied for an amendment to restrictions on the medical abortion pill MS-2 Step which the Therapeutic Goods Administration approved. It can now be taken up to nine weeks from conception. In addition, nurse practitioners will be allowed to prescribe the pill and pharmacists will no longer need a “special certification” to dispense it. The president of the National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynecologists said that allowing nurses to prescribe the abortion pill would see “lesser trained practitioners” handing out the abortion pill before the existence of Infrastructure to deal with complications. He said that of all medical abortions about 5% resulted in complications. “What we need are health solutions and what’s been announced is a political solution”, said the president, Gino Pecoraro. The Albanese government took a policy to the 2019 election that tied public hospital funding to the provision of terminations.
The Australian Medical Association vice-president Danielle McMullen stressed the need for appropriate training and support to be offered to health practitioners empowered to hand out the abortion pill. And Catholic and Anglican leaders also raised alarm over the lifting of regulations for the prescribing of MS-2 Step, saying that we can do better than make it easier to access abortion without making it easier to access genuine medical care and support to go ahead with a pregnancy. They also said that the impact of allowing self-administration of medication which terminates the life of an unborn child up to nine weeks of gestation is profound and that the focus of the Albanese government’s decision has been on access to abortion rather than the impacts of abortion.
Please pray:
‘Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; His love endures forever.’ Psalm 106:1
‘We’ve sinned a lot…hurt a lot of people… forgot your great and wonderful love’’ (vv.6-7, MSG).
* Let us thank our Lord for his goodness and kindness to us. Thank him for the courage and kindness of leaders who speak out against the expansion of MS-2 Step availability and against the very act of abortion itself.
* Pray for Anthony Albanese and his government. Pray that they will heed the warnings from the Australian Medical Association and the National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynecologists and change their policy on this issue.
* Seek the Lord’s forgiveness for our nation, for our nation’s sin and for having forgotten his great and wonderful love.
Praying for Issues in the News
* The Governor of the Reserve Bank has changed with the outgoing incumbent Philip Lowe departing and being replaced by Michele Bullock. This position plays a crucial role in maintaining stability and control over the economy of our nation and has been proven over recent times plays an important role in the making of decisions that affect the finances of every individual in the nation. Please pray for the incoming Governor that she would be granted the wisdom of God, the courage of her convictions and the compassion to know when to make tough calls and when to give the people respite from impacts often not of their own making.
* Nasty name calling, and inferences of racism, and accusations of misinformation and lies continue to mar the debate surrounding The Voice referendum. Pray that voters will be able to put aside such unwelcome contributions to the debate and make their mind up on the actual facts that relate to the issue, leaving aside the emotion being felt and expressed by those closely engaged in the process and debate of the proposal to be voted on.
Praying for Others
This week let us pray for Vietnam. Praise God that believers are earning a sustainable income through the cow bank microloan projects run by Open Doors. Pray it will be a chance to bless others.
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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