Pray During Lent - Week 1

'But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream.'
Amos 5: 24

One of the big themes we are pursuing at The Leprosy Mission Scotland in 2010 is that of justice and particularly as it relates to those who are affected by leprosy and the stigma that they so often experience in their everyday lives.

David tells us in his Psalms in the Bible that 'The Lord is known by His justice' (9:16) and that 'the Lord is righteous - He loves justice' (11:7).

The God of scripture is a God of justice and that is one of the shining themes of Lent - Christ came to die for our sins and to satisfy God's just requirements if you and I are to be forgiven, again and again. The message of Easter is of a journey pursued by Jesus in the cause of God's supreme justice - a sojourn of sacrifice and selfless giving that achieved salvation for all who believe.

His ways are so different from ours - at best human justice is often a pale reflection of his righteous ways. We need to pray that God will empower us by his Spirit to pursue justice for those who are affected by leprosy, so they are no longer denied any of the forms of human justice, no longer rejected and forgotten by their families and communities.

If we are to be agents of God's just cause we need to be active agents of His justice in action, advocacy and prayer.

Please join with us this Lent in praying for the work of the Leprosy Mission worldwide - the need is still vast - we need God's strength together to tackle it.

'Give justice to the poor and orphan, uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.'
Psalm 82:3