lenten journey, day 5 — a prayer for india
I almost couldn’t write about India. While researching this nation—its religions, its crises, its extreme poverty, and its seemingly hopeless future—I felt India's suffering was too big to wrap my head and heart around. I just wanted to look away.
Yet God, who made and desperately loves every person in India—and whose heart must break immeasurably for their plight—does not look away. And I believe He wants us to see this nation of a billion people and a million false gods through His loving and hopeful eyes. I feel Him saying, “Life is terribly hard for my children in India, but do not forget that in my name, there is always hope.”
The Heartbreak:
• India contains one fourth (412 million) of the 1.6 billion people on earth who have never heard the Gospel.
• The hindu religion is devoid of hope, and filled with uncertainty: though offerings are made to idols, and bells are rung to wake the gods and
goddesses, the faithful never expect kindness from their one million false deities.
• 600 million people in India live in deep poverty.
• Of India’s 400 million children, 70+ million are child laborers, 10 million are bonded laborers (a form of slavery to pay off family debt), 13 million are homeless, and 2 million are orphaned street children. Nearly 600,000 are child prostitutes.
• 1.5 million lepers (63% of the world’s total) live in India.
• 10 million Indians are blind (25% of the world’s total).
• It is estimated that by the year 2020, over 200 million Indians will carry HIV.
The Hope:
• In the past 10 years, poverty has been reduced by 10%.
• 100,000 Indians per day find out about Jesus through the Jesus Film.
• There is legal freedom in India to tell people about Jesus.
• Since the devastating tsunami in 2004, many small churches have started in areas previously resistant to the Gospel.
• There is dynamic growth in Indian mission agencies and church-based mission initiatives.
Father, you are truly the God of hope. Forgive me for my frequent sense of hopelessness over the sufferings of your people. Forgive me for praying small prayers that do not acknowledge your power to change entire nations, systems, and histories. Lord, I believe. Only help my unbelief! May your Sprit blow like a mighty wind over India, destroying injustices wherever they prey on the weak. May the name of your Son become the hope of the poor and afflicted. May you, Oh God, be the one true God of this hurting nation. Yes, and amen.
“But the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.” — Psalm 9:18
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." — Romans 15:13
Yet God, who made and desperately loves every person in India—and whose heart must break immeasurably for their plight—does not look away. And I believe He wants us to see this nation of a billion people and a million false gods through His loving and hopeful eyes. I feel Him saying, “Life is terribly hard for my children in India, but do not forget that in my name, there is always hope.”
The Heartbreak:
• India contains one fourth (412 million) of the 1.6 billion people on earth who have never heard the Gospel.
• The hindu religion is devoid of hope, and filled with uncertainty: though offerings are made to idols, and bells are rung to wake the gods and
goddesses, the faithful never expect kindness from their one million false deities.• 600 million people in India live in deep poverty.
• Of India’s 400 million children, 70+ million are child laborers, 10 million are bonded laborers (a form of slavery to pay off family debt), 13 million are homeless, and 2 million are orphaned street children. Nearly 600,000 are child prostitutes.
• 1.5 million lepers (63% of the world’s total) live in India.
• 10 million Indians are blind (25% of the world’s total).
• It is estimated that by the year 2020, over 200 million Indians will carry HIV.
The Hope:
• In the past 10 years, poverty has been reduced by 10%.
• 100,000 Indians per day find out about Jesus through the Jesus Film.
• There is legal freedom in India to tell people about Jesus.• Since the devastating tsunami in 2004, many small churches have started in areas previously resistant to the Gospel.
• There is dynamic growth in Indian mission agencies and church-based mission initiatives.
Father, you are truly the God of hope. Forgive me for my frequent sense of hopelessness over the sufferings of your people. Forgive me for praying small prayers that do not acknowledge your power to change entire nations, systems, and histories. Lord, I believe. Only help my unbelief! May your Sprit blow like a mighty wind over India, destroying injustices wherever they prey on the weak. May the name of your Son become the hope of the poor and afflicted. May you, Oh God, be the one true God of this hurting nation. Yes, and amen.
“But the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.” — Psalm 9:18
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." — Romans 15:13
posted by zephaniah3:17 at 11:54 AM
3 Comments:
God, turn despair into joy around the world. Help those who are blind see and let the lame get up and know you are Lord of wall. Fill the souls of the missionaries, Yaweh Nissi, be the banner of the nations. Help the oppressed lift the yoke of despair and fly into your arms, their rags made clean and their souls made right. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever.
Amen
Praying desperatly for hope. :(
Hello Mrs.Frawley, it is Jocelyn! I am typing to say hi and that I am praying for you and our LUG Group. I wanted to say thank you for helping teach me this year and the previous year, and helping me fully understand God and what being a Christian is. I actually have a better understanding now, then when I did before coming to LUG! Thanks 4 being there! :}
SMILE!
LOVE ALWAYS,
JOCELYN MESSER
Post a Comment
<< Home