DAY 249
Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic
A series of daily reflections for people of faith
by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor
Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland
pastorrobert@paxpres.org
Week Thirty-six Wednesday 18 November 2020
Country Focus: Thailand
Thailand, ruled by a monarch since the 13th century, is now a constitutional monarchy and the only country in southeast Asia never to have been colonized by a western power. While Buddhism enjoys a favored position historically and culturally, freedom of religion is guaranteed. Christians constitute only around 1-2% of the population and are challenged by the need to de-westernize Christianity to fit the Thai culture without lapsing into syncretism. Thailand is the world center for sex tourism, a multi-billion dollar a year industry. It also has the highest AIDS-HIV infection rate in the region due to the sex industry and drug use.
Prayer Focus
+ Pray for the many men and women, boys and girls caught up in the sex tourism industry and
for the ministries seeking to reach and rescue them, facing heavy persecution in the process.
+ Pray that standards of personal holiness will be embraced by much of the church marked by
backsliding and the resulting poor witness to those around them.
+ Pray that the historic lack of leadership in the churches will change as evangelical groups
committed to training, work hard at raising up and equipping strong, dependable leaders.
+ Pray for those translating Scriptures for 29 language groups without God’s Word.
+ Pray for around 30 radio stations broadcasting the Gospel every day, to be used by the Holy
Spirit to bring Christ to those in darkness and change lives – many Thai’s listen to the radio.
+ Pray for more than one million plus children forced by poverty into the harsh labor market
and for those ministries seeking to bring education, health care, and the Gospel to them.
+ Pray for missionaries working in the golden triangle opium area for protection and openness
to the Gospel.
Jesus’ Prayer Request each Week:
“’The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest,
therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Jesus - Matthew 9:37-38.
For additional information on praying for the Thailand
go to: operationworld.org.
Reflective question: Will you pray the next seven days for Thailand and the needs listed above?
Reflective Scripture: 2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is… not willing that any should perish, …”
Reflective hymn:
“O Zion, Haste” – Mary Thomson (1834-1923)
O, Zion haste, thy mission high fulfilling,
to tell to all the world that God is Light;
That He who made all nations is not willing
one soul should perish, lost in shades of night.
Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace;
tidings of Jesus, redemption, and release.
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