Promoting Justice
We all want justice but usually define justice from our point of view. Most individuals, cultures and nations want justice. But justice from God’s perspective seems to be different. God seeks to restore the health or wellbeing of nations, societies, or individuals rather punishing offenders. So “What does the Lord require of us but to do justice, and to love kindness” (Mic 6:8) and “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of God’s throne; love and faithfulness go before Him ” (Ps 89:14) Our way of seeing justice seems to be linked with punishments for wrongs which are then often linked to laws created by governments. Most of us also have our own thoughts about justice as do people in all cultures. We feel when wrongs occur, there needs to be punishment. But God seems to challenge us to “Learn to do right; seek justice, defend the oppressed. take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow” ( Is 1:17) We do have our own understanding about what is just, but it may not be God’s.
A form of justice is maintained when people obey the manmade laws, which do not necessarily reflect God’s laws. Jesus began his public ministry by calling people to repent. (Mk1:15) He also described the Pharisees as hypocrites who focused on trivia and “neglected the weightier matters of the law of justice, mercy, and faithfulness.” (Math 23:23). The Hebrew word for “justice,” can also mean “righteousness” which is one of the attributes of the LORD. He does lay out His description of social justice in Exodus 23:1-9, which includes not spreading false reports, or showing favouritism, or denying justice to the poor , or accepting bribes, or oppressing refugees, and much more. “Rights and justice are the foundation of God’s rule; steadfast love and faithfulness are its fruits” (Ps 89:14 msg). Where there has been alienation and brokenness God’s justice finds expression in the lives of those who reflect God’s love. Many of us want to see more justice and peace especially between nations such as Ukraine and Russia, nations in the Middle East and many others and desire a clearer vision as to how to pray for that.
Let’s pray:
* That many more in our nation will promote justice by seeking “to act justly and love kindness, defend the oppressed, take up the cause of the fatherless and refugees, plead the cause of the widow”. (Is 1:17)
* That laws will be passed that help to prevent the spreading of false reports, show privilege or entitlement to some but deny justice to others including ones coming from war torn countries such as Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine.
* For a willingness in more people or people groups to want to forgive all the past injustices that have had a lasting impact on them.
Our Broken Mental Health System
Australia’s broken mental health system has failed hundreds of thousands of people with severe illness who are receiving ineffective care, if they can access any at all, groundbreaking new analysis has revealed. The nation’s hospitals have fewer than half the psychiatric inpatient beds needed, an investigation has discovered, and billions of taxpayer dollars are being wasted through the failure to provide secure housing to those with complex needs. The decades-long neglect of those with chronic severe mental conditions has reached its worst point, with staff despair at such critical levels that both public and private hospitals are unable to fill psychiatry positions; the nation’s prisons overflow with those with mental illness; and GPs buckle under the weight of inadequate resourcing to care for patients with complex needs.
Please pray:
* For those suffering from mental illness who are not getting proper care and having to live lives far removed from what most people believe should be available to every human being.
* That our lawmakers will take this issue to heart and give adequate funding and pass appropriate laws to ensure this blight on our nation is addressed.
* For those who work in the mental health area who are buckling under the pressures of inadequate resources for the patients they treat who often having highly complex needs.
Chastity Changes for Anglican Clergy
The Anglican Diocese of Perth has changed its policy on the terms ‘chaste’ and ‘chastity’ as set out in the Faithfulness in Service rule book for clergy and church workers. In the amended version, instead of being called to “maintain chastity in singleness and faithfulness in marriage”, priests and staff are told to value God’s “gift” of sexuality by “taking responsibility for their sexual conduct”. Further, the stipulation that priests and church staff “be chaste and not engage in disgraceful conduct of a sexual nature” has become a less-onerous expectation that “sexual behaviour should be characterised by faithfulness and integrity. According to opponents of the shift, the West Australian Diocese of Perth changed the terms to accommodate same-sex relationships. The critics argue that the changes will license permissiveness and potentially undermine years of effort to stamp out sexual abuse in the church.
Archbishop of Sydney Kanishka Raffel, the Australian president of the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion, which is a global alliance of traditionalists, said this was contrary to the teachings of both the Bible and the church. He said that those Biblical standards have not changed and yet one more diocese (now numbering 8 out of 23) has changed the guidelines to permit sexual activity outside marriage, whether in heterosexual or homosexual relationships, and other sexually permissive practices.
Perth and Brisbane are considered to be the most progressive of the Anglican Church’s metropolitan dioceses, whereas the bigger and financially powerful Diocese of Sydney is the seat of its fast-growing and deeply conservative evangelical movement.
Please pray:
“This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. This is love for God: to obey His commands”. 1 John 5:2-3
* Pray that the Anglican leaders such as Archbishop Kay Galsworthy and others stop interpreting God’s word according to current social mores and start obeying His commandment to speak the truth in love.
* Pray for all Christian leaders such as Archbishop Kanishka Raffel who stand for the continuing truth of God’s word. Thank God for them, that they have the courage to be good shepherds who care enough for the people they lead to speak the truth in love.
* As it becomes more challenging to stand for God’s truth, let’s remember Paul’s words to the Thessalonians – “May Jesus Himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 MSG
Praying for Issues in the News
* The surge in anti-semitism, resulting in hate crimes particularly in Victoria and New South Wales in recent weeks is a cause of great concern, particularly as it appears our state and Federal Governments do not appear to want to address it directly but rather to keep the peace particularly with those in the Muslim community whose votes they seek in the next Federal election. Please pray that those who have committed hate crimes in recent weeks in both Melbourne and Sydney will be caught, prosecuted and suitably punished. Pray also that peace would be restored on our streets, that those who are currently living in fear would again be able to feel safe and that the apparent appeasement of those with hate in their heart would cease and those who commit acts of violence against members of other races will be pursued and properly punished for their crimes.
* A radical Victorian government proposal to stop rape complainants being cross-examined prior to trial has been eviscerated by leading criminal silks who say it tilts the scales of justice towards alleged sexual assault victims and jeopardises a defendant’s right to a fair trial. Under the landmark legislation, court committal hearings, which are used to test whether a case is strong enough to send to trial, would be stripped back, and cross-examination of some witnesses in family violence, sexual offence and stalking cases would be banned. Please pray that these proposed law changes in Victoria designed to fit the woke ideology of the Victorian Government will not go ahead and that laws which have been in place for decades and which are fully supported by those with an intimate knowledge of the law will be maintained so that a proper balance between alleged perpetrators and victims will be protected in the interests of justice.
Praying for our Nation
Our weak economy has affected many of our industries and some have had to close as a result. Greed has led to many companies moving offshore, rather than caring for our labour market, particularly in service industries. Let us ask God for a government at the next election which will, through godly wisdom and sound economic policy reverse this trend.
Ecclesiastes 5:8-12, James 5:1-6, Luke 12:15-21,
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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