This week marks the beginning of Lent, a period when Christians prepare themselves spiritually for Easter. For many people, this takes the form of giving something up as a reminder of the time Jesus fasted in the desert, and thinking about how we can serve others.

At CSW, the idea of justice is central to how we serve others, as we work for religious freedom for everyone. During Lent, use this passage of scripture to pray into the theme of justice and religious freedom: “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?” Isaiah 58:6

During this week, please pray:

• Praise God that he is concerned with justice in our individual lives as well as larger issues;
• Pray for those who are not free to practise their faith, ask God to give them peace and intervene in their circumstances;
• Pray for the global institutions that work to see that fairness and justice is upheld, such as the UN;
• Pray for the organisations in the Religious Liberty Partnership, including CSW, Open Doors and Release International, and their partners on the ground;
• Pray for CSW’s work campaigning for the rights of other minority faiths who at times face the same if not worse oppression than the Christian community;
• Pray God’s protection for CSW’s partners across the world, working for justice in hostile situations;