5 THINGS TO PRAY IN A GLOBAL CRISIS
Prayers that change things in times of trouble
By Rachel Jones
The Good Book Company. 93 pages. £3.99
ISBN 978 1 784 985 707
COVID-19 is still very much with us and so a book such as 5 Things to Pray in a Global Crisis is still relevant.
It offers five realms in need of prayer: one’s heart, family, church, the response, and Kingdom growth. There is modest analysis on each of these matters, but much engagement with Scripture in a thematic way and a welcome ‘make this work for you’ type of approach.
Driven by Scripture
Indeed, its practical, hands-on engagement with Scripture in specific ways which reach to the affective part of the individual is its greatest strength. I particularly appreciated its frank discussions on money, generosity and Covid-19 and the ever-present need to be thankful, regardless of externals. Its global awareness and emphases were appreciated as well as its ability to speak into specific church challenges.
However, the apparent lack of awareness of other, darker agendas at work as well as a tacit trust in the veracity of mainstream media’s [MSM] handling of Covid-19 is concerning. My own field is RSE (Relationship and Sex Education) and MSM’s skewed portrayal of conservative views succeeds in smearing and silencing dissent while advancing a ‘progressive’ sexual agenda.
Robin Aiken is a former BBC reporter and journalist; his Noble Liar: how and why the BBC distorts the news to promote a liberal agenda (2nd ed; 2020) provides far more information, while UnHerd.com offers other analyses of Covid-19.
So in relation to the section on ‘Responses’, surely prayers for truth to out, and covert agendas to be revealed, would be apt, with accompanying Scripture such as Luke 8:17: ‘For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.’
The book’s strapline is ‘Prayers that change things in times of trouble’; hopefully that claim will ring true for its readers.
