It’s a joy to greet you in the opening weeks of 2017. Every year brings wonderful opportunities as well as fresh challenges, yet none of us know what lies ahead.
It’s as if the path ahead is still in the shadows—dim and unclear. We hope our feet will tread in good and wise places, we hope for wisdom and insight to make good choices. What we need is light for the year ahead.
Jesus is that light. He said, ‘I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life’ (John 8:12). The Bible adds further guidance to our steps. Psalm 119:105 says, ‘Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.’
It’s the prayer of the War Cry team that you would know the companionship of Jesus this year. That you would know how cherished you are by him and how Jesus wants to help you make the most of your life and to invest the gift of your life for others—because he loves them, just as he loves you.
While we’re talking about prayer, I encourage you to prioritise prayer for persecuted Christians this year. Our feature article profiles the work of the Open Doors organisation, which raises awareness of the needs of the persecuted church and encourages prayer support. Hebrews 13:3 says, ‘Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.’ We can see prayer for the persecuted as ‘love on its knees’.
Christina Tyson
Editor
1 Thessalonians 5: 11 The Message
So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind …
1 Teharonika 5:11
Nā, whakamārie koutou tētahi i tētahi, hangā hoki te pai o tētahi e tētahi, pērātia me tā koutou e mea mai nā.