'May God help us to be beacons of hope'

Scriptures for reflection and prayer from the Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland (FBBI) in light of the challenging and changing global situation

The FBBI meeting on 14-15 November 2016, at the International Mission Centre in Birmingham, was held against the background of the challenging and changing global situation.

We considered what our response and the response of churches might be. During our time together in our discussions, some scriptures were shared as we sought to discern the voice of God. We simply offer these scriptures for reflection and prayer.

Psalm 2:1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Isaiah 33:5-6 He will be the sure foundation for your times.
Hebrews 12:2 Fix your eyes on Jesus.
Luke 13:20-21 What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.
Zechariah 7:9-10 Administer true justice, show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of one another.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

May God help us to be beacons of hope, acting with outrageous courage, giving hospitality to the stranger, listening to those who feel forgotten (including those marginalised within our churches and communities).
May God help us to show respect and tolerance as we seek to act with justice, mercy and compassion.

God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking ….
(anon.)

Picture: Patrick Fore / Unsplash

FBBI comprises people from the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Baptist Union of Scotland, the Baptist Union of Wales, BMS World Mission and the Irish Baptist Networks

Baptist Times, 22/11/2016

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