The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5

Righteousness may seem like an odd theme at Christmas, but Jesus’ righteousness was evident in the way his birth was celebrated! He was hailed as a king and a righteous deliverer of his people. However, this righteous deliverer also started life as a refugee, as his family fled Herod’s persecution. This week, let’s remember that ‘no one is righteous, not even one’ (Romans 3:10), by praying for those that the world often looks down on and considers ‘unrighteous’: the refugees, the persecuted, and the dispossessed.

This week, please:

• Pray for refugees from Eritrea, many of whom are Christian and fleeing violent persecution in their home country;
• Pray for Rohingya Muslims in Burma, who are considered non-citizens in their own country though they have lived there for generations;
• Pray for refugees arriving in foreign countries, that they will be able to find peace, security and true freedom at last;
• Pray that CSW will have more opportunities to raise the profile of religious freedom, the lack of which is a major cause of the refugee crisis;
• Pray for religious minority communities in Mexico, who often face discrimination and are forced to leave their homes because of their beliefs;
• Thank God for the success of our parliamentary events equipping UK MPs to speak up for religious freedom and about the plight of many persecuted religious groups;
• Pray for refugees starting their journeys, that God would watch over them and keep them safe, and that one day, no one will have to choose between their faith and their home.