Common Good

Back to Foreign Relations, Commonwealth Partnerships and International Aid

Faithful Presence Abroad

AdventForeign Relations, Commonwealth Partnerships and International Aid Week 2 · Day 7

Scripture References

Read First

Old Testament

Psalm 96:1-13

¹ Sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
² Sing to the LORD! Bless his name! Proclaim his salvation from day to day!
³ Declare his glory amongst the nations, his marvellous works amongst all the peoples.

Read 10 more verses

⁴ For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised! He is to be feared above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
⁶ Honour and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
⁷ Ascribe to the LORD, you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
⁸ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come into his courts.
⁹ Worship the LORD in holy array. Tremble before him, all the earth.
¹⁰ Say amongst the nations, “The LORD reigns.” The world is also established. It can’t be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity.
¹¹ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and its fullness!
¹² Let the field and all that is in it exult! Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy
¹³ before the LORD; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, the peoples with his truth.

New Testament

Matthew 28:16-20

¹⁶ But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them.
¹⁷ When they saw him, they bowed down to him; but some doubted.
¹⁸ Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

Read 2 more verses

¹⁹ Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Thought for the Day

Psalm 96 is a missionary song. It calls the people of God to sing a new song, to tell of his salvation from day to day, to declare his glory among the nations. And it does not end in triumphalism. It ends with creation rejoicing because the Lord comes to judge the earth with righteousness, with fairness that does not bend.

Show 141 more words

In Matthew, the risen Jesus sends his disciples to make disciples of all nations. The command is not to conquer, but to baptise, to teach, to remain. Worship and obedience are held together. And he closes with the promise that steadies everything: “I am with you always.”

To be present abroad can mean many things: diplomacy, development, peacekeeping, business, study, migration. The gospel does not sanctify every project. It does give a posture: humble witness, truthful service, and a refusal to treat other peoples as instruments.

So pray for Christians serving far from home: that they would be faithful, teachable, and quietly courageous. Pray for the Church’s public witness to be clean and gentle. And pray that, wherever we are, our lives would sing a new song: not of ourselves, but of the Lord who is with us to the end.

Prayer Points

Respond

Lord, be with those serving abroad in diplomacy, aid, peacekeeping, and mission; give them humility and courage.
Keep public witness from arrogance; make the Church’s presence gentle, truthful, and neighbour-loving.
Protect communities receiving outside involvement from exploitation; grant wise safeguards and mutual honour.

Show 2 more prayer points

Strengthen believers who feel isolated far from home; give them friends, worship, and steady hope.
Teach me to live as one sent: attentive to others, faithful in small things, and confident in your presence.

Continue Reading Journey