Weekly devotion: Looking Ahead with Courage
An olive grove of the future planted Spring 2025 - olive farmers in the West Bank continue to cultivate their land, planting rows of new saplings despite the threat of confiscation
This week we’re praying for all Embrace’s partners as they prepare for a new year of challenges and hope. We also reflect on God’s command to ‘be strong and courageous’ in the face of uncertainty.
As a new year dawns, we give thanks for the work of all Embrace’s partners. They come from a range of Christian traditions and their callings are diverse – through education, healthcare, social justice, advocacy and more, they support people of different faiths and cultures. The political contexts they work in are varied too, with different pressures emerging across Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Syria and Iraq.
What they all have in common is their steadfast faith and commitment to being the hands of Christ in today’s world. Just as he reached out to the sick and oppressed, our partners put compassion to work for the most vulnerable members of their communities. This week, we give thanks for their dedication and pray for their protection in the challenging situations that will confront them in the coming year.
Bible reading
‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’
Joshua 1:9
Thought
Our Christian friends in the Middle East always have an unknown road ahead – one that might be obstructed by political tension, economic turmoil, and the ever-present risk of violence. Like Joshua, they are leaders in a time of both promise and danger. But whatever happens, one thing is certain – God will be there.
As we pray for our sisters and brothers, we’re invited to trust God’s promise in our own lives too. He commands us to ‘be strong and courageous’, but he doesn’t leave us to face everything alone. He is Emmanuel, God with us, whatever challenges might rise in our path.
Ask yourself: What might God be asking you to walk towards with courage this week?
Prayer
Father God,
As Embrace’s partners begin a new year filled with both uncertainty and hope, strengthen them with courage. Guard their hearts from fear, and inspire them with the confidence that their work is building a future of promise for vulnerable people. Protect them and remind them daily that they are not alone.
Amen.
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