Thought of The Week

Sunday, June 29, 2025

Support of clergy

‘Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority…Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you’ (Hebrews 13:17)

Of course, we know that the clergy do not have an ultimate authority in church. They too are under the authority of God. But if we wish them to serve us, we need to respect them. We easily become accustomed to criticising our leaders, forgetting that no one is perfect. Church can become a pond of critics, and the task of ministry can become impossible. I know some people who found themselves critical, repented and vowed not to be critical of their leaders, but to pray for them. It was a blessing to them and also to the clergy for whom ministry should be a joy, not a burden.

Question for thought: Have I fallen into the sin of constant criticism?

Almighty God, we give thanks for the focus on Family Life which is the basic foundation for teaching Christ’s teaching on marriage and Christian family life in Temotu diocese in the Solomons. May the parenting program be the means by which families are encouraged to have faith in you. Amen.

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Ministry of clergy

‘to equip his people for works of service’ (Ephesians 4:12)

The Lord Jesus sends pastors to his church. The essence of their ministry is to help us to grow as Christians and to be equipped for works of service, pre-eminently serving one another so that we can grow like Jesus. Sometimes we go to church simply out of habit and without expectations. But that is not the vision of Jesus for his people. Instead, equipped by our pastors we are to grow together into the likeness of Christ and we are to help each other to grow. Church is not merely a habit – it is a unity of people who care for each other, led by the teaching of the word of God.

Question for thought: What should I pray for my brothers and sisters in church?

Gracious Lord, we thank you for the Mothers Union in Taejon in South Korea and the ministries they share in supporting the homeless, caring for the elderly and counselling for women in need. May they share the true comfort that comes in trusting Jesus. We also pray for our members in Adelaide and new President Rev. Dr Gethzi Devasagayam.

Sunday, June 15, 2025

Provision of clergy

'So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers’ (Ephesians 4:11).

As Jesus reigns, he cares for his church. A sign of this is the provision of the pastor/teachers, of those who have special role of shepherding the church. At the heart of this, as we read in Ephesians 4, is to teach the church and to help us to grow to maturity. We need to pray that the Lord will continue to provide for such pastors, the ones who not only bring us the word in church but also minister to our souls by word and sacrament when we are in the greatest need. When we experience such ministry, we should remember to thank the Lord for his kindness to us.

Question for thought: How should I pray for the clergy?

We thank you Heavenly Father for the work of the Mothers Union in Nyahururu Diocese in Kenya and their endeavours to meet the challenges to family life of high unemployment, crime, poverty and food insecurity. Give them insight into programs to help meet these needs. Please assure them by your Spirit of your love for them. Amen.

Sunday, June 8, 2025

Pentecost

'Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear’ (Acts 2:33).

The coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost is such a wonderful event. It is the dawning of a new day, promised by the prophets and also Jesus. All who belong to Jesus now have the gift of the Holy Spirit living within their hearts. The Spirit relates us to God, enabling us to call Jesus Lord and God our Father. All three persons of the Trinity are involved in our salvation. The Spirit leads us to the Father and the Son. But the Spirit is the gift of the Father to the Son and then the gift of the Son to us. We pray to the Father in the power of the Spirit and the name of the Son. Both the Son and the Spirit intercede for us. All this is only the beginning of what God does through his Spirit. Pentecost is a day of great joy.

Question for thought: How do I know that I have the Spirit?

Pray this week for the Dioceses of Willochra, South Australia and Newcastle, NSW. Lord we thank you that in spite of huge distances separating members in Willochra they are committed to AMUA aims, and their communities. Pray as they seek to serve you through visiting, supporting local Op Shops, and Community Cafe, and Aged and Nursing Home visits. Pray too, for members in Newcastle as they seek to reach out in their community particularly through the hospitals. Help them as they share the comfort and hope that only you can bring. Amen.

Sunday, June 1, 2025

Ascension of Christ

'For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death’ (1 Corinthians 15:25-26).

Coming between Easter and Pentecost, the Ascension does not seem very important. But think about it! We remember that it was the moment that he left his disciples. But in fact he did not leave. The Ascension celebrates not so much the departure of Jesus as his enthronement. At the heart of our Christian message we say, ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’. Not luck, nature, not human power, but Jesus reigns, putting his enemies, notably the Evil One, down. And the most wonderful news is that he defeats death, the last enemy. We do not need to fear. Jesus is in charge.

Question for thought: Do I think of Jesus as Lord? Am I glad?

Heavenly Father, we bring before you the Diocese of Madhya Kerala in India which works under the Women’s Fellowship of Mother India. Guide them as they help women both spiritually and in secular fields especially as they support the elderly, provide respite care for the physically and mentally challenged girls and care for those working in the Tabitha Tailoring Centre. Amen.

Sunday, May 25, 2025

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

'‘So we make it our aim to please him whether we are at home in the body or away from it’ (2 Corinthians 5:9)

Jesus is our Lord, our king. Our aim in life in this world and the next, is to please him by doing his will. In that way his kingdom is already here; and yet we are also waiting for him to return and then we will see the kingdom in all its glory. Our prayer is, that even before he returns, the Lord’s commands will be obeyed everywhere. One of the wonderful things about the Mothers Union is that we know that all around the world there are women in fellowship with each other, praying for each other, and seeking to please the same Lord. Already we see, in part at least, the answer to the prayer that Jesus taught us.

Question for thought: Is the aim of my life to please the Lord?

Gracious Lord, we pray for members in Nigeria particularly the Dioceses of Oru, Oleh and Okene and Ibadan-South. Protect them from persecution and give them courage to stand firm in their faith in you in these difficult times. We give thanks for our members in Central Queensland (Rockhampton) and ask that MU functions are well attended and members enjoy a great fellowship. Amen.

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Thy will be done

'Yet not as I will, but as you will’ (Matthew26:39)

Confronted with the horror of crucifixion, our Lord prays to his Father that the cup may be removed from him. But then he prays, ‘Yet not as I will, but as you will’. What we will and what God wills are not always the same. How important it is to recognise the wisdom and goodness of our heavenly Father and to submit to his will. Even so, the Lord pleaded with his Father that he would not experience the agony. But in all his prayers, true faith said, ‘Thy will be done’. That is a challenge to us.

Question for thought: Do I truly pray that God’s will may be done?

Lord of all, may the Mothers Union members in Grahamstown and Christ the King in South Africa continue to have the strength to persevere and the grace to serve so that their lives may reflect your love and bring hope to many. We pray too for our members in Bunbury, Western Australia as they share a common bond of prayer, love and sharing, dedication and encouragement. Amen

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Thy Kingdom come

'Jesus said, “the kingdom of God is in your midst”’ (Luke 17:21)

God’s kingdom comes when he will judge the world and relieve his people of evil and suffering. Jesus preached that the kingdom of God was at hand and that we should get ready for it by repentance and faith. But when the Pharisees asked him when this would happen, he said that the kingdom was already present. He meant that he is the King and that he was already present. But he also said that he would come again to judge the world. So, when we pray that the kingdom will come, we are praying that Jesus will return and set all things to rights. This is something that we should long for.

Question for thought: Do I pray that Jesus will return?

Gracious Lord, we pray for members in the Diocese of Gippsland and for President Lindy Driver. Uphold them as they seek to share Christ’s teaching on marriage and family through caring for refugees, providing a holiday for two families and distributing activity bags for the children’s ward. We also bring before you the Diocese of Cashel and Ossory in All Ireland as they share your love with the homeless and provide holidays for those in need. Amen

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Hallowed by your Name

'I will show the holiness of my great name…’ (Ezekiel 36:23)

Our names matter. They tell people something about us. We hate to have our name besmirched. God warned his people from the very beginning not to abuse his name or bring discredit on it. But that is what happened, as Ezekiel tells us, and the nations scorned God because he had to punish his people. So God saved his people from their exile so that the nations would honour his name. Jesus taught us to pray first and foremost that God would make holy his own name. Of course part of the answer to this prayer is the way in which we speak about God and live for God. But to do that, we need God’s help. So we pray, first and foremost, ‘hallowed be your name’.

Question for thought: What am I asking for when I pray ‘hallowed be thy name?’

Our Father, please make us a people who will show forth your honour, for we wish above all that your name will be honoured among all people. Pray for the Mothers Union in Uppershire, Malawi as members are actively identifying and responding to the challenges that individuals and families face. May they have opportunity to share their faith in Jesus. Amen.

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Our Love

'We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar’ (1 John 4:19-20)

Jesus emphasised the love of neighbour, even if the neighbour is very different from us. All people are our neighbours. Our love is a fruit of the Spirit and is a response to the great fact that we have been loved, as is shown by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. But we are reminded that we owe a special debt of love to our fellow Christians, the brothers and sisters given to us by the Lord. Sometimes, of course, it is easier to love people far away in another land than to love the people in our own church. But far away or close at hand, our love is a test of our understanding of what God has done in Jesus, even though we did not deserve it.

Question for thought: How do I care for my brothers and sisters at church? Do I pray for them?

Gracious Lord, we thank you for the partnership of the Diocese of Kigezi with the Diocese of Armidale as they equip, encourage and support gospel workers in North Kigezi. May members have the opportunity to share the hope of the gospel as they care for those in the community who need emergency relief and guidance in parenting. We pray too for members in the Northern Territory and President Pam Powell as they gather and pray for relationship with indigenous Australians. Amen.

Sunday, April 20, 2025

He is Risen Indeed!

Easter Day. 'Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have’ (Luke 24:39)

The disciples were hard to convince. They did not believe the report of the women. They did know that the tomb was empty, but they explained it away. When they saw Jesus, they thought it was a ghost; this was to them an obvious explanation. After all, they believed in life after death. What they did not grasp was that this was a resurrection, that Jesus stood before them bodily. Their disbelief, recorded in the gospels, is actually helpful to us. When they preached Christ risen, they did so because they were absolutely convinced from firsthand experience that he was. They were prepared to die for this fact. And we know that our future is assured and that we too will be resurrected to live with Jesus forever. He is risen indeed!

Question for thought: Why can I be sure that I will be resurrected and live with Jesus forever?

Almighty God, we bring before you the Mothers Union in Kagera Diocese, Tanzania and thank you for the joy they have in the Lord Jesus. May this Easter day remind them that they too will be resurrected and live with Jesus forever. We pray for members as they care for those in prison, give support to widows and care for orphans. Amen.

Friday, April 18, 2025

The Depth of his Love

Good Friday. " 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. Jesus answered him, “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”’ (Luke 23:42-43).

We can never think enough about what happened on this most holy of days, Good Friday. It does no harm to think of the love that followed Jesus, as his mother stood at the cross. But it also helps us to understand why he died when we see the sheer sinfulness that surrounded him. The desertion by his friends; the treachery by his disciple; the hatred of his enemies in the hierarchy; the weakness and injustice of Pilate; the wickedness of the soldiers; the abuse directed at him by a man beside him on the cross. But in the midst of this horror, we hear of the other thief who confessed his sins and asked Jesus to admit him into the kingdom. The thief could say, ‘nothing in my hand I bring’. He had no good work to commend him and no hope for the future. But he turned to Jesus and in the midst of all the ugliness of the moment, Jesus promises the blessing he is dying to secure for us all. Here indeed is love.

Question for thought: Do I trust myself to Jesus?

Heavenly Father, we grieve the recent violence in Democratic Republic of Congo. We pray for members in the Diocese of Kindu. Continue to give them courage and help them this Easter time to remember our Saviour who suffered wickedness and violence for the sake of the world. May they know they are not alone as they face persecution. Amen.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Love Assures Us

'And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us’ (Romans 5:5)

Just before this verse, Paul has been talking about the troubles which come upon us even though we have peace with God. In the midst of such pains, how can we be sure that all will be well? How can we have hope? Because the Holy Spirit in our hearts assures us that we are loved by God. If we wonder how, the next verse gives us the answer. We are absolutely sure of the love of God for us, because ‘Christ died for the ungodly’ (Verse 6). When doubt assails us, we go to the cross. We know that we do not deserve the love of God, but we also know that he showed amazing grace in giving his life for us. He died for us.

Question for thought: Where do you turn when you worry that you are not good enough for God?

Almighty God, we give thanks for the Mothers Union Triennial Conference held in Dogura, Papua New Guinea in September 2024. Pray that the outcomes of the conference in encouraging the study of God’s Word, literacy and how to care for those coping with domestic violence and sorcery. Pray too for the Diocese of Canberra Goulburn with new leadership.

Sunday, April 6, 2025

The Greatest Love

'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16).

Jesus once said ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’ (John 15:13). Of course, he said this on the night of his arrest and the eve of his execution. Whatever the motive of his enemies and whatever the weakness of his friends, he was steadfast. He, who did not have to enter the world, who did not have to live among us, who did not have to feel the pain of betrayal, rejection and death by crucifixion, was driven by love. This was not the ephemeral love of attraction. It was the love which gave up all. And it was the love which shook the world and changed the world forever. God is love.

Question for thought: Am I loved? How do I know?

Gracious Lord, we pray for members in the Diocese of Christchurch, New Zealand as they support marriage and family life through helping teenage mothers, providing care for children facing difficulties and share your love for them in Jesus’ name. We also give thanks for the fellowship in the Diocese of Perth and pray for branches as they meet and support families in their churches. Amen.

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Love Blooms

'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ (Galatians 5:22-23).

Love blooms because it is a fruit, one of the fruit of the Spirit. When we put our trust in Jesus as our Lord, we are indwelt by the Spirit of God. He works within us to make us more like Jesus. You could say that the list of the fruit is a little portrait of Jesus – and the first of the fruit is love. The love we have and the love we practice comes from his love for us. It will show itself in all the fruit of the Spirit, and forbearance and kindness in particular show themselves in the way in which we forgive others as we ourselves have been forgiven. So we walk in the path of love, following our Saviour.

Question for thought: Can I see the fruit of the Spirit in my own life?

Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the provision of the larger church built in Kihwera in the Diocese of Lweru in Tanzania. where the church and Mothers Union can meet. It was funded by the Anglican Relief and Development Fund Australia. We pray for members as they face challenges in family life, unemployment and poverty. May they share your love as they support those in need. Amen.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

The extent of love

‘But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ (Matthew 5:44).

We must love our fellow believers. But Jesus does not stop there. He summons us to extend our love to others, even our enemies. After all, ‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son’ (John 3:16). He shows that in the parable of the Good Samaritan as well. Thank God we have seen down through the ages the active work of Christians caring for people in their community and in the whole world. Because God shows us what love is, we love our neighbour. I have always been struck at the teaching of 1 Corinthians 13 as well, the great chapter on love. You can do all sorts of Christian things – even if ‘I give all I possess to the poor…but do not have love, I gain nothing’ (v3). It is not merely the deed. It is the heart of love which matters.

Question for thought: Do I look upon others with the eyes of love?

Gracious Heavenly Father, we pray for members in the Diocese of Down and Dromore in Northern Ireland, that they may have many opportunities to serve you and provide love and care, particularly through craft classes, visiting in prisons, providing ‘away from it all’ holidays, wash bags for local hospitals and knitting for those in need. May these opportunities show your love and care for their neighbours. Amen

Sunday, March 23, 2025

The Power of Love

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another’ (1 John 4:11)

One of the marks of a true church, one in which God is present by his Spirit, is the love believers have for one another. Over the years I have seen some wonderful examples of this – lonely people befriended, grieving people comforted, struggling people supported, forgiveness offered and accepted. Of course it is not always the case. We fail to love as we should. But we know that the love between us is one of the marks of the church and that it should extend to all our brothers and sisters, even if they are different from us in race or background or resources. And all this stems from the fact that we have been loved, unworthy as we are.

Question for thought: How do I love my fellow believers?

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the stability in Ghana and pray this week for the members in the Diocese of Koforidua, as they support the local needs of the community and provide care for those in need. We pray for Brisbane Diocese and Jenny Bullock, the President and thank you for its enthusiastic members and ask that they will continue to serve and reach out to their communities in your name. Amen

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