Released 30 August 2011
A Day and Night Cry for Justice
This month we focus on the scourge of human trafficking. In my role as
Director of The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission,
I was invited to be Chair of the Worldwide Evangelical Alliance’s Anti
Human Trafficking Taskforce. WEA represent 600 million Christians worldwide.
The Taskforce has developed the following prayer points, drawing attention to
the plight of human trafficking.
And will not God
bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? I
tell you he will see that they get justice and quickly.
Luke 18: 7-8
A Clarion Call to Action: God’s heart is broken over
the millions of enslaved people; He understands the suffering of each and every
one of them. He is not indifferent to their cries for love, mercy,
justice and deliverance and has sent His redeemed and chosen people, the body
of Christ (the Church) for the restoration of justice in an unjust world!
God the creator - creation ex nihilo (Gen), created both men and women; boys
and girls and declared them good. Every human being thus created is precious
and valuable in God’s sight and He has called us to accept and love one
another, just as He accepts us in Christ and loves us. He calls on the
Church to ensure that every human being is free from enslavement and granted
freedom to enjoy their human rights - the whole Gospel that reaches the whole
person.
The more we come to know God; we continue to realize the wonder of Creator
God. He establishes within us His deepening sense of wonder and worship. (Psalm
8: 3) and our responsibility for the earth and all who dwell within. As
He calls us into personal relationship with Him, he instills compassion of care
for creation, a value for human life and dignity and a desire to contribute to
the common good.
This is further strengthened by the biblical doctrine of redemption
(Colossians 1 and John 3: 16), that declares that God so loved the world that
He sent His only begotten Son to die to save humanity! The forgiveness of
sin, deliverance from spiritual and moral darkness into God's marvelous light,
brings freedom to captives, and acts justly, in demonstrating God's love for
humankind and desire for abundant life!
A CALL TO PRAYER
Twenty seven million people are enslaved globally in various forms of sexual
and labour exploitation. The WEA is calling churches around the world to
dedicate a day to pray the prayer of Isaiah, chapter 58:16. “Is
not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke to set the oppressed free and break every
yoke?”
Prayer Points
- Prayer for all those oppressed by the curse of human trafficking. Ask God
to hear their cry and deliver them. Psalm 10:17-18. “You hear, O
lord the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them and listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never
again strike fear.”
- Pray for those living in situations of poverty that the family of God will
reach out and minister to them, and that they will procure a sustainable
income, so they will not accept offers which look helpful but secretly involve
trafficking. Matthew 25:40 “whatever you did to the least of
these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”
- Pray for children in families where there are few resources. Pray that they
will be protected from the lure of traffickers. Psalm 82:3-4: Defend
the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and
oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the
wicked.
- Pray that as our eyes are opened to the implications of cheap labour, cheap
goods and the commercial sex, that the demand for human trafficking will
diminish and dry up. Psalm 35:10: “Who is like you, O LORD? You
rescue the poor from those too string for them, the poor and needy from those
who rob them.”
- Pray that the commercial sex trade in your locality will end, in order to
stop people being trafficked into sexual exploitation. Leviticus 19:29
“Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the
land will turn to prostitution, and be filled with
wickedness.”
- Pray for the perpetrators of this crime who seek to make money out of the
trade of people and those who operate control networks of traffickers. Pray for
exposure and an end to their schemes and a conviction that leads them to
repentance. Joel 3:3 “They traded boys for prostitute; they sold
girls for wine that they might drink.”
- Pray for governments who have the responsibility of making decisions that
can either alleviate poverty or increase it. Pray that their decisions will be
based on justice and equality, rather than greed and financial gain. 1 Timothy
2:2 “Pray for kings and all those in authority over you that we
may live quiet lives in all Godliness and holiness.”
- Prayer for the WEA Task Force and its objectives: To develop
strategic networks; to promote a biblical foundation for engagement; to
mobilise informed resources; to identify, develop and disseminate resources; to
listen to stories and to get others to listen.
- Pray and become involved for and with The Salvation Army in its call to
prayer, September 25, 2011 on behalf of victims of Human Trafficking.
M. Christine MacMillan, Commissioner