A Blessing to the Nations
Genesis 12:2-3: I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
As we wrestle through the direction of the newly forming Micah (the coming together of Micah Network and Micah Challenge to form a new entity called Micah) we have been challenged by the Covenant God has made to us through Abraham pointing towards Jesus who now sends us to be a blessing to the Nations.
What does this mean in practical terms?
1) God works with and through his people: God + People = blessing
God has given us the gifts, skills and resources we need to fulfil his purposes. As we live in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, our words and works reveal the fruit of the Spirit and in the authority from God lives are changed.
Lord, we ask that you would help us to live in obedience to your call. To live lives worthy of the Gospel. To speak truth in love, to reveal the hope we have and to point to you in all things.
2) Life in all its fullness: flourishing
The Kingdom of God revealed.
Lord, we pray for courage for change. We long to see your Kingdom come in our nations – may we be a part of bringing that blessing to our community.
3) Inclusive: the well-being of every nation, city, village, person
We realise that your blessing is for the whole of creation. We are in anguish at the turmoil on the nations around us.
Lord, how can we be a blessing to Gaza and Israel, to Syria, to Iraq, to Nigeria, to CAR, to Malaysia, to Ukraine – Lord help us to discern and then act.
4) Shalom: justice, peace and joy
Being a blessing means beyond equality, beyond generosity – it is the presence of God that is liberating, restoring and reconciling.
Lord, as we prepare for our Global Consultation in 2015 in Integral Mission and Shalom, help us to live this out today and inspire one another as we gather next year.
5) Royal Priesthood: all are called to be a blessing:
Each one of us is called; each one of us has a valuable role to pay in humility and obedience.
Lord we confess we have delegated our responsibility to the leader and have not taken up our commission to be your disciples and to be agents of change in our contexts (our family, our community, our work place and our church)
6) Discipleship: act of love and obedience:
Hunger for truth and thirst for living water so that we reflect Jesus in every aspect of our lives.
Lord, we have become passive learners, waiting to be spoon fed – give us the hunger for your word, for your presence and for your Kingdom. Help us to engage in every aspect of our society with works of service, speaking out for justice and mercy and being present in times of need.
7) Proclamation of the Kingdom of God:
May we be compelled by love to share the hope within us knowing that it is the power to set people free. It is a blessing to the nations.
Lord we pray your Word would go out and bear fruit.
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