Lord, for our freedoms here in Canada. The Persecuted Church does not exist so that we can feel grateful. Instead, let us simply cry out to God on behalf of the over 200 million Christians, who today face imprisonment, torture, and even death simply because of their faith in Christ. Let us plead their cause to God in prayer. Let us also consider how we may, as God's people and God's instruments, plead the cause of the persecuted in our daily life, in our family, and in our church.
Prayer is the appropriate starting point for our love and concern.
We re going to sing a hymn together, and following that will enter a time of quiet prayer for our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith. Our prayer time will conclude with group prayer. During that time, I can truly say that my Lord was always present. We cannot say that God abandoned us at any moment. But the Lord has always given us an answer.