Almighty Father, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of all: govern the hearts and minds of those in authority, and bring the families of the nations,

divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin, to be subject to his just and gentle rule; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

God, our refuge and strength, bring near the day when wars shall cease and poverty and pain shall end, that earth may know the peace of heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In this world of conflicting opinions, we choose to listen In this world where those who speak loudest are heard, we choose to listen In this world where we speak without being spoken to, we choose to listen In this world where we’re running to stand still, we choose to listen

In this world where we want our voice to be heard, we choose to listen In this world where we want to be noticed, we choose to listen In this world where we often only listen to those who agree with us, we choose to listen In this world where we have to fight to find silence, we choose to listen

May we be like the one who says he will hear our cry - the great Listener. The One who is all ears to hear the complaints of a people whose only language is often complaint. The One who cannot look, as he hears the screams of the trafficked, the bullied, and the insane.

The One who tenses his fists as he overhears the arrogance of men who would play God, as they trample on the poor.

We choose to listen because you have listened to us. Psalm 10:17-18 (ANIV) You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, [18] defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.