Land of Hope and Glory: United Kingdom
Map It Monday:
Today we place a map of the United Kingdom on our refrigerator.
Our Prayer:
"Lord, we ask that you would move upon the people of the United Kingdom. Please come and give these people a hope that never fails and receive all the glory, Lord. Amen."
Stats and Facts Tuesday:
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Geography
Area: 244,110 sq km
Two main islands: Britain and the northeast of Ireland. A union of four countries: England 103,400 sq km, Scotland 78,800 sq km, Wales 20,800 sq km, Northern Ireland 14,100 sq km. Also three small autonomous states that are dependencies of the British Crown: Isle of Man 588 sq km (in the Irish Sea); Channel Islands 194 sq km (Guernsey, Jersey).
Population: 62,129,818 Annual Growth: 0.54%
Capital: London
Urbanites: 90.1%
Official language: English; in Wales both English and Welsh. English is the primary language of 400 million in the world, as well as the major language of international communication for over 1.4 billion
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian
| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 37,066,649 | 59.66 | -0.8 |
| Evangelicals | 5,490,130 | 8.8 | 0.0 |
Challenges for Prayer
Immigration remains a massive challenge, but is also an utter necessity and an unavoidable reality. The seat of British Empire now draws many from the far reaches of its former domains – and beyond. There are an estimated 600,000 to 900,000 illegal immigrants in the UK. Fully 70% of net population growth in the next 25 years is anticipated to be from immigration; in some boroughs and towns more babies are born to immigrants than to citizens. Pray with an eye toward:
a) A core identity and purpose for Britain. Without a cultural centre or core set of values around which to build a multi-cultural society, disintegration and division will triumph. Pray for Britain to regain a sense of what makes it Britain; pray that these values would celebrate and reflect what God rejoices in.
b) Integration. Unwillingness or inability to adjust to life in the UK and lack of support and welcome for many immigrants all contribute to the creation of ethnic ghettoes.
c) Criminal and terrorist threats. Immigrants tend to suffer lower rates of employment and education, and higher rates of poverty and crime. They are much more vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers, crime lords and religious fanatics. The number of people who enter the UK with the intention of criminal or terrorist activity is of course unknown, but it is far too many nonetheless. Pray for all who intend to exploit, disrupt or destroy to be thwarted by the authorities.
d) Christian and mission impact. Immigration, a trend reviled by reactionaries, also brings great blessing to these shores. Christian immigrants have staved off even greater declines in mainline churches and brought new life to many recent movements. “Reverse mission” is an undeniable trend, with around 1,500 Christian missionaries coming into the UK from the Americas, Africa and Asia. Immigration has also brought many unevangelized peoples right onto the doorstep of gospel-oriented churches. Thank God for these twin blessings; pray that both might be fully utilized to see new churches planted, new peoples reached and Jesus glorified.
Our Prayer:
"Lord, we know that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. We ask that the British people would call on Your name for wisdom, for direction, and for the saving grace of Jesus Christ to come and bring a new hope and renew their faith in You. Revive Your church again and bring into Your family all of the peoples of the world who are making the United Kingdom their home. Amen."
Walk In My Shoes Wednesday:
Today we will pray for Parliament, the governing body of the United Kingdom - kind of like our Congress. We will be praying along with the Evangelical Alliance in England for the members of Parliament. Please see the following links to understand more about how to pray for the government leaders of the United Kingdom.
Our Prayer:
"Jesus, men love power. The temptation to rule for personal and political gain is very strong. We pray that you would grant the men and women of Parliament the grace to humble themselves, seek Your face, and to love godly wisdom. Give the church in the United Kingdom the endurance and long suffering to pray faithfully for their leaders. Amen."
Take Action Thursday:
Today we will be having our own English inspired tea time. We will be praying for the United Kingdom during our tea. Traditionally, afternoon tea is served from 3-5pm. We will also be making cards to take to our dear English friend Ms. Rosemary, who has regaled us with stories of the Blitz in London and her work with the USO during the WWII years. We hope to bring her some of our English tea. Enjoy your tea time today and pray for the people of the United Kingdom.
How do you make an English cup of tea?
Our Prayer:
"Lord, You have said, taste and see that the Lord is good. We want the British people to taste and see the gospel and see that it is indeed good news! Jesus, come and save the English people, Amen."
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