“Going Further Than We Imagined”

40 Day Prayer Journey and Bible Study

FY20
 “Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish
abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine”
– Ephesians 3:20 (NRSV)

No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except for brief excerpts in reviews, without prior permission of the publisher.

Published by: Global Centre Faith and Development on behalf of World Vision International

For further information about this publication contact: nestor_dedel@wvi.org

Managed and produced by: Nestor Dedel, Odoi Odotei

Editors: Nestor Dedel, Odoi Odotei, William Quay,

Contributors: Adam Taylor, Adrian Brown, Aimyleen Gabriel, Alexis Olsen, Ann Maureen Gabito, Anna Christine Grellert, Azucena Lopez, Brian Sytsma,
Charisma Callejo, Cherry Marcelo, Cheryl Freeman, Chittaranjan Soundarapandian, Daniel Muvengi, Don Posterski, Esther Lehman, Fionna Dunn, Jaisankar
Sarma, Javier Ruiz, Kilton Moyo, Launce Moses, Louie Cadaing, Malou Leonzon, Maria Alejandra Andrade, Michael Pountney, Michelle Rayo, Nestor Dedel, Odoi
Odotei, Richard Chigwenembe, Romina Enopia, Seth Acquaye,Tim Dearborn, Tony Moniaga, Viraj Abeysekera, Vivian Rajkumar, William Quay

Layout: Nestor Dedel

Cover Photo: A beautiful sunset in Zambia’s Magoye Area Development Programme provides the background as these children play a little while longer before heading
home for the night.

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Foreword

“Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine”
– Ephesians 3:20 (NRSV)

There is nothing more important than prayer. Across World Vision, our Christian faith is our cornerstone, and our prayer life is what sustains us.
Our work is too difficult to do without God. And we pray big things, because God wants to bless us abundantly.
Contemplating a bright future for the children we serve, full of ambition and promise, let us seek God’s strength.
As we reflect on these 40 passages of Scripture and insights from our colleagues, let us draw our attention to Him who is able to accomplish far more
and far beyond any existing limitations we know.
Let us believe in what He is able to accomplish and be amazed.
I commend this study to you, and pray that our eyes will be opened to the infinite possibilities that can happen when we allow God to lead our work
and when we submit unto Him in total obedience.
Let us pray together: Lord, we need to be filled with your Holy Spirit to ignite our bold desire to shine a light into the world’s darkest corners – to
change this world for the better, and to follow in the footsteps of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Let us partner together to go further than we ever imagined.
God bless you.

Andrew Morley
President and CEO, World Vision International

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Introduction

It is my honour to invite all World Vision staff and board members to come along on a 40-day journey of Bible study, prayer, fellowship and reflection.
Let us pray for our Partnership leaders as they prepare to gather for the 2019 Triennial Council in Manila, Philippines. The Council will focus on the
theme “Going Further Than We Imagined”.
World Vision has a tremendous opportunity at the start of every year to come together, from around the world, and seek our Lord’s guidance through
the use of our Annual Partnership Bible Study. During this time, we humbly ask Him to prepare and unite us for what lies ahead in our work and lives.
God invites us to freely draw from His immeasurable power as we join Him in working with the poor, promoting human transformation, seeking justice
and bearing witness to the love and grace of Jesus in every expression of our work.
We have compiled the following forty studies from colleagues, past and present, within the Partnership. We are centering our reflection and prayer on
the truth that it is God who will continue to guide us on our journeys in ministry and service. We have divided the study into four parts:
I. Our all-powerful God is already at work among the most vulnerable children
II. Our all-powerful God is with us
III. God’s power makes healing, reconciliation and transformation possible
IV. We believe by faith we can witness God’s vision become a reality

We encourage you to be an active participant in this journey of prayer and reflection. Please use these studies during your individual and group
devotionals, team building meetings and chapel gatherings.
Please join us in prayer for the Triennial Council and for our leaders – that they would be given wisdom and discernment to consider both the critical
issues and opportunities we are facing as an organisation.
May these studies bless your hearts and minds as God continues to grant us His beautiful vision for the world.

Odoi Odotei
Director – Learning & Development
Faith & Development
World Vision International

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Table of Contents

Part 1: Our All-Powerful God Is Already At Work Among The Most Part 3: God’s Power Makes Healing, Reconciliation And Transformation
Vulnerable Children Possible

1. Children Are Agents Of Transformation 06 21. God The Reconciler 40

2. God Provides 08 22. Beyond Justice To Forgiveness 42
3. From The Hearts And Mouths Of Boys And Girls 10 23. Jesus’ Healing Touch 44
4. A Courage Fueled By Faith 12 24. Let Us Make A Name For Ourselves 46
5. Receiving Compassion And Faith From The Most Vulnerable 14 25. Far More 48
6. God Chooses To Display His Grand Work Through What 16 26. God’s Power Is Sufficient To Transform Anyone 49
the World Considers Small And Foolish 27. Healing And Restoring Lives 51
7. All Sufficient Grace 17 28. With God All Things Are Possible 53
8. God’s Love And Justice Manifests In A Once Trafficked-Child 19 29. Treasure In Clay Jars 55
9. Becoming Like Children 21 30. The New Man’s Clothing 56
10. Overlooked 22

Part 4: We Believe By Faith We Can Witness God’s Vision Become A

Part 2: Our All-Powerful God Is With Us Reality
11. Innovations In The Wilderness 23 31. Walking Off The Map 57
12. Letting Go 25 32. God’s Surprising Ways 59
13. Unchanging Character Of God 27 33. Discerning God’s Will 61
14. Satisfied 28 34. Gearing Up For The Journey 62
15. God’s Infinite Help – Our Hope 29 35. Reaping What We Sow 64
16. God Cares About The Cause Of The Oppressed 30 36. Recognizing The God Of The Harvest 65
17. Seeking God’s Presence In The Brokenness 32 37. Have Courage In God 66
18. Be Still 34 38. God’s World Vision 68
19. God’s Spirit Empowers Us To Do His Will 36 39. Going Further With Jesus 70
20. Making God Our Refuge and Strength 38 40. New Things But Not In Old Ways 72

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Part 1: Our All-Powerful God Is Already At Work Among
The Most Vulnerable Children
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Daily Reflection 01
“Children Are Agents of Transformation”
Exodus 2:5-10 (NRSV)
“The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants
walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid
to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child (Moses). He was crying, and she
took pity on him. ’This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said. Then his
sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew
women to nurse the child for you?’ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’ So the girl
went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child
and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child
and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter,
and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, ‘because,’ she said, ‘I drew
him out of the water.’
All of us find it challenging to go beyond ourselves to act for the benefit of
another. It involves leaving our comfort zone and risking our safety. In this
passage, Moses is saved, thanks to three women, by those who
courageously took a firm stand for life and defied the Pharaoh’s order.
These women are the baby’s mother, his sister, and Pharaoh’s daughter.
Each played a key role in protecting the newborn. But Moses' sister
provided the connection between the two adult women to ensure her
brother’s protection and well-being.
Moses’ sister was still a child herself, yet she risked her life to save her
brother. Her creativity and courage allowed Moses to survive. Moses grew
up and years later liberated the Israelites from slavery. Moses' sister as a weaknesses and limitations doesn’t matter for You alone are
child played a crucial role in making this happen. capable of accomplishing more than we can ask or imagine. Amen.
With children on the move all over the world at risk to similar
vulnerabilities to Moses, our work as an organization to protect and
Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional by Maria Alejandra Andrade– Annual
promote the well-being of the vulnerable is critical. We also need to pay
Partnership Bible Study FY10 – Page 53
attention to potential partnerships, with children like Moses’s sister, who
are in our midst and perhaps best positioned to participate in God’s work of
transforming communities.
Throughout history, God uses girls and boys to continually reveal His stand
for life in situations of oppression and of death, as He does in this passage.
These children are capable of undertaking revolutionary actions to protect
the lives of others. Their unprejudiced compassion, their stubborn hope,
their wise creativity, their capacity to take risks and their selflessness in
helping others all teach us a lesson - that God can use the weak of this
world to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:27) - that children are our best partners
in the pursuit of community development and their well-being.

Questions for Reflection

1. Can you remember a time when you personally experienced God's
power through a child? What did you realise then?
2. In what ways can we partner with children even as we expand our
work in fragile contexts?

Prayer
Father God,
Help us see and understand the value and potential that each child
carries. Grant us humble hearts to listen to them and learn from
them. Give us wisdom as we seek to partner with them in changing
our world. Give us child-like faith believing that in Your hands our

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 Daily Reflection 02
“God Provides!”
John 6:5-11 (NRSV)
“Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He
said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered
him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a
little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a
boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so
many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal
of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took
the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were
seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.”
In the Solomon Islands, I had a chance to visit an Area Programme on
Makira-Ulawa. From the plane, I could see the pristine beauty of the island.
The face of its community became more vivid as I deepened my exploration.
Roads were unpaved and often became muddy when it rained. People lived
on subsistence agriculture and rarely enjoyed a safe and clean source of
water. Research conducted by the local team indicated that children were
deprived of many basic rights that they should be able to enjoy. They had
little food to eat; they were often mistreated because their parents were
stressed and not taught about better childcare. Young girls would often sell
sex to loggers in exchange for small luxuries like a television or a mobile
phone. The whole province had only one social worker to look after
roughly 40,000 individuals. Politicians who made decisions about budgets
and policies rarely visited this province because of the lack of good
transportation to this remote area. They were not able to clearly see the
people’s daily realities. Whilst this country was rich in natural resources,
many people did not receive an education and found little employment due
to government corruption. Like Philip in sight of the hundreds of hungry
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people, I initially wondered, “What can be done to turn things around
amidst such huge problems? No resources seem sufficient to respond to
such need!”
As I spent some days in the community, I came to realise that God was in
fact present. Just as Jesus provided centuries ago with a boy’s small offering
of two fish and five loaves of bread, today God is blessing and multiplying
contributions that World Vision donors and staff are making in the lives of
the people. World Vision staff go out to communities to teach young
mothers about maternal and child health, write the reports, meet with local
government partners and help families find ways to sell their produce in the
market.
Bridgette, the area manager, shared experiences of working with
government partners, and how even the simple gesture of involving the
community in programme consultations had made people long for change.
She said government partners often expressed a desire to partner alongside
our work because “with World Vision it feels different. World Vision staff
have such a commitment to brave the rough seas for up to six hours on
small boats to get to the remote villages to reach out to the children and
families. It is contagious!”
As I walked narrow, muddy roads, often locals would greet me by saying:
“Mone!” or “Evening!” (morning and evening greetings in Pidgin language)
with warm but timid smiles. The resilient spirit found in children, mothers,
and fathers was evident in the ways that they managed their daily lives. Many
children were active and joyful despite their situation. In this place, hope
was evident as God used the work of World Vision staff to gradually bring
about change.
As we reflect on our work with Our Promise, God’s wonderful hands are in
fact working in amazing ways to respond to hunger and thirst for a better
life. Even in the midst of difficulties, even with our limited vision, even with
our scarce resources, God provides – and wants to do so abundantly!
Questions for Reflection
1. Consider times in your life and in your journey in ministry during
which you have doubted the sufficiency of your work or God’s
provision. Pray that God will grant you and your colleagues trust in
God’s provision even in such times.
2. In your ministry in World Vision, what are some of your experiences
that show how God has used simple input or resources from donors,
staff, partners, and community members (including children) to create
a significant impact?

Prayer
Abba Father,
We call to remembrance Jesus’ miracle of the fishes and the loaves.
We acknowledge, as the disciples did, that it is impossible to feed
thousands of people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. We also acknowledge
that it is impossible to make a lasting impact with only our own
resources at hand. But, with You, O God, all things are possible!
Lord bless the work of our hands as we surrender all to Your will.
That all may know that we have a God who is able to lift up those
who are suffering and is able to do more with the limited but willing
hearts that we are happy to place in Your hands. Amen.

Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional by Aimyleen Gabriel, Annual

Partnership Bible Study FY14 – Page 19

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Daily Reflection 03
“From the hearts and mouths of boys and girls”
Matthew 21:15-16 (NIV)
But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he
did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,”
they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants
You, Lord, have called forth Your praise’?”
Psalm 8:2 (NIV)
Through the praise of children and infants
You have established a stronghold against Your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
Matthew 21 opens with Jesus entering into Jerusalem on a donkey as spoken
by the prophets (Zech. 9:9), which leads into the scene of Him cleansing the
temple. Jesus corrects and brings revelation to the true meaning of the
temple by first quoting Isaiah 56:7: “my house shall be called a house of
prayer.” This is referencing a context in Isaiah when God called Israel to be
mindful of “all peoples” by “keeping justice, and doing righteousness, for
soon [His] salvation will come” (Isaiah 56:1). Jesus the Messiah, as the
complete fulfillment of Scripture, re-establishes our understanding of
worship in two ways:
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First, He expelled those who used the temple for buying and selling, turning
over the tables and chairs of the moneychangers and pigeon traders
(Matthew 21:12).
Second, He healed the blind and the lame that approached Him (Matthew
21:14). Jesus' actions in the temple provoked two polarised responses:
While the little children shouted: "Hosanna to the son of David," the chief
priests and scribes, who were well aware of the law, were writhing in rage
because of everything that had happened.
With their response of praise, the children celebrated and recognised the
Messianic identity of Jesus, unlike the high priests and scribes (the wise and
knowledgeable of Matthew 11:25) who failed to see the true identity of
Jesus.
Psalm 8 has prophesied the announcement of the Messianic glorification of
Jesus as revealed in Matthew 21. In His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus
stood before the Pharisees - his adversaries - yet saw the enthusiasm and
joy of the children who welcomed Him in worship: “From the mouth of the
children You have drawn praise and silenced Your enemies.”
In God’s “upside down” Kingdom, it is not the religious leaders but children
that profoundly challenge us to learn the authentic praise of their hearts.
Wonder is a present and precious gift in the lives of children that we must
all continue to cultivate. When wonder is replaced by a numbness or apathy
in the lives of adults, the loss is huge. The psalmist retained a childlike,
sensitive soul that allowed him to see and enjoy God in all His glory.
Only with marvelous wonder—with a kind of childlike enchantment—can
we enjoy God’s abundant surprises. There is only one condition to pursuing
delight in Jesus: Become like children. May we strive for the spiritual quality
to contemplate how God acts in His creation, especially in the lives of boys
and girls.
Questions for Reflection
1. How have the dreams of children impacted us most and
transformed our approaches to ministry in WV?
2. How are we encouraging children to contribute to the ministry and
strategy of World Vision?

Prayer
When I think of your creation,
I feel tenderly loved,
My joy is full from within me.
I realise, I become excited,
That I want to play, imagine and dream,
I want to see You and the world with a child-like heart.
And be amazed at Your kindness and Your tenderness
In my life and in that of boys and girls.
How great are You, Lord!
How great is Your love!
Truly, oh God!
You love us with eternal love.

Azucena López Namoyure, Faith and Development Coordinator, WV Nicaragua

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 Daily Reflection 04
“A Courage Fueled by Faith”
Daniel 1:8,19 (NIV)
But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food
and wine...
..And among them all, no one was found to compare with Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they were stationed in the king’s court.
Our Promise strengthens our resolve to live and love as Jesus did which
meant following Him into fragile contexts to reach the most vulnerable
children and families. Moving towards the unknown often exposes new
layers of fear. In response to this, we usually seek to protect ourselves and
our work by making sure we do not violate the norms, by pleasing the
majority and gaining favor from those in power. Living and serving in
unfamiliar contexts may lead us into situations that will challenge our
convictions and make us think that our faith is a disadvantage.
We learn from Daniel however that it is possible to navigate unfavorable
contexts and gain positive results without shying away from our faith.
Daniel and his young friends were taken as war prisoners in a foreign land
with foreign set of values and foreign gods. Their captors gave them an
opportunity to start their lives anew with the condition of embracing newly
given identities and lifestyles (Daniel 1:3-7). Daniel resolved however that he
would remain faithful to God - even if it meant danger for his life.
With humility, he continued to live in ways that please God and respectfully
refused to compromise his faith. God honored Daniel’s faithfulness and
granted him favor from the king of the land and a prestigious position of
leadership in his empire.
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The story of Daniel and his friends demonstrates courage fueled by faith and
shows that God greatly honors those who stand up for Him especially when
it is hard to do so.
There are a number of principles we can learn from Daniel’s life.
1. Living out our Christian faith with boldness and humility means
fully trusting God to be in control. Daniel has every reason to doubt
God’s sovereignty having recently seen his nation go down in defeat, his
home devastated, his friends and family put to death and becoming war
captives. But he still chose to submit to God’s will even if his situation
meant an uncertain future. God was pleased with Daniel’s conviction and
did more than he could ever ask or imagine.
2. Living out our Christian faith with boldness and humility means
continuously living out what we profess. Integrity equates to
credibility. Daniel’s faith in God propelled him to live a life of excellence – it
is an active faith. Our faith should manifest in the quality of our work and
our lives. He honored God by living a life that was a cut above the rest. It
was good that people with a different set of values and faith noticed him and
promoted him.
3. Living out our Christian faith with boldness and humility
necessitates total obedience and surrender to God. One’s
willingness and readiness to jump at God’s command reveals the degree of
one’s familiarity with God’s character. When we truly know that we serve
an all-powerful and loving God, we can confidently trust Him regardless of
our circumstances. We can bravely endure the difficulties, and resist the
“easy way” out of our discomforts. We can say no to ways that go against
His ways, and trust God’s provision for an alternative course of action that
brings honour to His name.
4. Living out our Christian faith with boldness and humility also
means acknowledging that the God who breaks new grounds and
opens doors of opportunities for us is also the One who will
provide for the journey ahead. He is the same God who brings out the
fruit of our labour as we remain faithful to Him. He does all the work and Romina Enopia, Ann Maureen Gabito, Michelle Rayo, Charisma Callejo
completes what He starts. We merely contribute as we follow His lead. Spiritual Nurture for Filipino Children Project Team Members
World Vision Development Foundation, Philippines

Questions for Reflection

1. How do we ensure that the decisions and choices we make in our
work are primarily influenced and motivated by our Christian faith
convictions?
2. What practical steps can we take in our work to have the same
resolve that Daniel displayed?

Prayer
Our powerful and sovereign God,
You are a God who is able to do beyond what we can ask or
imagine. You are the one who initiates everything. We are grateful
that we can join You in Your work. We are nothing without You,
and we will accomplish nothing without You.
Forgive us for our hesitation to obey You. Forgive us for proudly
thinking that we know better and for our lack of faith. We realise
that we can only trust You in as much as we have experienced You
firsthand. We want a faith that is truly ours and not borrowed from
others. Enable us to say yes to Your invitation for us to take a leap
of faith – to run when You say run; to jump when You say jump; and
to be still when You say be still – to fully surrender our will to You.
We ask of You Lord to make us faithful and courageous like Daniel
and to not ever depend on ourselves, our wisdom, abilities, nor our
connections. Allow us to live by Your strength and power alone.
Amen.

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 Daily Reflection 05
“Receiving Compassion and Faith from the Most
Vulnerable”
Read 2 Kings 5:1-19 (Excerpt of 2 Kings 5:1-19 in NRSV)
Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man...The
man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one
of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served
Naaman’s wife. She said...“If only my lord were with the prophet who is in
Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” So Naaman went in and told his lord
just what the girl...had said. And the king of Aram said, “Go then, and I will send
along a letter to the king of Israel.”
In this passage, we find two individuals with contrasting stories:
First: Naaman, an admired leader. He seemed to have many things going for
him: might and power, the respect and honor of those he led, and victory in
every battle. But there was one thing that still made him feel defeated—he
was a leper.
Second: A servant girl who was vulnerable. She was young, taken captive
from Israel, and forced to be away from her family and everything familiar to
her. Being a servant without certainty of experiencing freedom in her
lifetime, she was in an environment that was far from ideal for a child to
grow and thrive. Yet, when she saw Naaman’s situation, she responded in
faith with deep compassion.
Who would think that the answer to a powerful leader’s long-standing
problem would come in the form of simple advice from a young girl? “I wish
my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his
leprosy.” The words were not forceful, but they led to a powerful process of
healing. The words were not prescriptive, but they came out of a heart that
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cared enough to courageously speak into her master’s life and were
compelled by a strong faith that God would use Elisha to heal Naaman.
Though puzzled at the simplicity of what the prophet was asking him to do,
Naaman did what he was instructed. And God healed him, through the
prophet—just as spoken in faith by a young vulnerable girl.
To go further as an organization and as followers of Christ, we need to
keep our eyes open and our hearts humble to receive God’s instructions,
which sometimes come through people and circumstances that we least
expect. Moreover, humility, in the form of listening to God and others, may
also require simple obedience to Him in order to address a complex
situation.
God’s power at work in leaders that make wise decisions in our offices is
the same power that enables the most vulnerable children in a refugee camp
to dream for a better future. God can give an innovative project idea to a
best-in-class technical expert in the same way He can inspire and lead us to
action by seeing a child who walks dozens of miles each day to fetch water.
How has someone vulnerable become a channel of God’s care and wisdom
to you lately?
Questions for Reflection
1. What is God telling us through our experiences and interactions with
the most vulnerable?
2. What simple instructions does God want us to obey that could lead to
solutions for our organisation’s complex issues?
Prayer
Lord,
keep our hearts humble to receive care and love from those that
we serve. Open our eyes to see how You are at work in every
 person, including the most vulnerable children, and use that to
strengthen our faith and to guide our work.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Cherry Marcelo, Programme Manager - Faith and Development, WVUS

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 Daily Reflection 06
“God chooses to display His grand work through
what the world considers small and foolish”
I Corinthians 1: 26 – 30 (NRSV)
“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by
human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God
chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in
the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world,
things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might
boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who
became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and
redemption.”
Saint Paul asked the Corinthian believers to reflect on their identity when
called to become Christ’s followers. They were not “the brightest and the
best” of the society. They were not considered important.
While the Gospel has an equal call to every class of people, the wise, the
rich, and the powerful are often too busy with their own things and may not
see a need for God. It is often the poor, the needy, and the weak that
actually recognise their own insufficiency and their need for the Almighty.
The Corinthian believers were a living example of this truth. God often
chooses people who are weak and foolish in the eyes of the world to
accomplish His purposes. And so, Paul encouraged the Corinthians that they
had no right to boast about who they were or their own achievements, but
only give glory to God for what He had accomplished in them through the
work of Jesus Christ.
In the work of World Vision, God often uses lowly and humble people to
fulfill His purposes. Community volunteers and development facilitators are
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at the lowest rung of the organisational hierarchy, yet they are quite often
the ones that God uses to bring transformation in the lives of people.
Our ultimate trust is not in our own organisational strengths such as
strategy, resources, plans, systems, expertise, etc. We acknowledge that
these are gifts given to us by the Lord. While we should always strive to
steward these gifts effectively, our primary trust is always in the Lord and
His strength. As we acknowledge our insufficiency and total dependence on
God, He will use World Vision to do far more than we could ever plan for,
imagine, or even request in our prayers.
Questions for Reflection
1. What are some of our organizational strengths? In what ways are
these insufficient to achieve the tasks and goals we have as an
organization?
2. How have you seen the poor expose those that are powerful, by
coming together as a community to show a better way, to
demonstrate that they are capable agents to transform society?
Prayer
Dear Father,
Thank You that You have chosen to work through the weak and
the foolish of this world. Thank You that You have chosen us.
Help us to embrace our weakness so that You can be our strength.
May You be glorified in our weakness. Help us to remember that
You have chosen to work through people whom we may choose to
overlook, but You have not. We know that You can do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to Your
power that is at work within us and within others. For we pray this
in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Jaisankar Sarma, Global Director – Ministry and Technical Services, Global Impact

Daily Reflection 07
“All sufficient grace”
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV)
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take [the thorn in my flesh] away from me.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so
that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am
weak, then I am strong.
The word “grace” is central to our Christian faith and is perhaps best
summarised by this acrostic phrase: God’s Riches Available at Christ’s
Expense.
Paul prayed three times for God to remove a source of pain in his life.
Rather than answering his request, God instead spoke to Paul and gave him
the assurance of His all-sufficient grace.
“Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men and women. Do not pray for
tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.”1
God’s grace enables us to rise above our circumstances and move forward
in accomplishing His purposes. Paul’s life gives us a good illustration of this
truth. In spite of physical limitations, persecution and sickness God, in His
sovereign grace, opened new ways for Paul to travel Europe extensively to
share the good news and thereby fulfill his call to be a powerful witness for
Jesus “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
1 Going up to Jerusalem", Twenty Sermons (1886), p. 330.
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Who would have imagined Paul, a former persecutor of Christian believers,
to be the one chosen by God to preach the gospel of Christ to Jews, Gentiles,
governors and kings? Who would have thought that God would use Paul ‘to open
their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to
God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who
are sanctified by faith in Jesus” (Acts 26:18)?
Paul was definitely writing from experience when he said that God is “able to
do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power [by
grace] that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
As an organization, we can relate to Paul not only in his sufferings, but also in
his discovery of God’s all sufficient grace. It is God’s power “at work within
us,” and His “all-sufficient grace” that has allowed us to reach this far as an
organisation serving the most vulnerable children. As we enter a new season
and seek to expand the boundaries of our service, we can be confident that
as we obey God, He will do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”
Questions for Reflection
1. Share your experience of God’s grace in your life, especially in the
most challenging times. What helped you the most during these
times?
2. How can we as an organization demonstrate our dependence on the
all-sufficient grace of God through seemingly difficult situations?
Prayer
Dear Lord--the Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime, the
Ruler and the Sustainer of all that is. We thank You that, when we
go through trials and tribulations, You are with us, the Father of
mercies and God of all comfort. Enable us to submit to You and do
Your will. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Chittaranjan Soundarapandian, Regional Audit Director, South Asia and

Pacific Regional Office

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Daily Reflection 08
“God’s Love and Justice Manifests in a Once
Trafficked-Child”
Genesis 45:4-8 (NRSV)
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He
said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be
distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me
before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years;
and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive
for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has
made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land
of Egypt.
From early childhood, Joseph believed that God had destined him to life in
all its fullness. While pasturing a flock in Canaan, God assured Joseph
through various dreams, a new reality beyond his imagination: a rising to a
position of leadership over his parents and brothers (Genesis 37:5-11).
After this promise was received, everything seemed to go the opposite
direction. Psalm 105:16-22 states that “until what he had said came to pass,
the word of the Lord tested [Joseph]” as he would later have to endure
years of mounting pressures all challenging him to give up: family betrayal,
slavery in Egypt, isolation, temptation, imprisonment, and famine. Through
this long season of darkness, the grace of God sustained Joseph as he
patiently endured until each promise came to pass.
God uplifted Joseph out of slavery to become “a ruler over Egypt,” helping
Pharaoh increase the Egyptian’s food to preserve the nation as well as the
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Israelites during the famine, which led to the long awaited reconciliation
with his family (Genesis 45:5-7).
Our work serving the most vulnerable children is not easy and often
requires patient endurance like Joseph. At times, we may not see God’s
hand in the midst of dire circumstances. Malnutrition, slavery, bonded labor,
and violence are all too often the reality that we see on the surface.
However, we must be attentive to what God is doing in our midst, which is
often unseen or overlooked. God delights in appointing the unexpected to
demonstrate His power, not ours, in accomplishing His purposes (Genesis
45:5-7).
During a field visit I made to an HIV/AIDs project in Chennai, it was the
child recipients themselves, despite being born into obscurity, that were
identified as the most powerful agents of transformation due to shared
empathy and inspiration. One youth leader shared: “Because of my life
struggles, I want to help others facing the same. Because I like helping
children and they are in need, this is a thing that I need to do.” In order to
be attentive to what God is already doing in our work around the world, we
must see Joseph within children like this and be willing to walk alongside
their vision with a shared commitment.
When we cannot seem to find God in our circumstances, Job encourages us
to build our confidence on God nonetheless and not ourselves: “He knows
the way I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold… having
treasured the words of His mouth more than my portion of food” (Job
23:10-12). As we expect challenges ahead with our work in fragile contexts
or the broader realization of Our Promise, we must continue to interpret our
circumstances through the lens of God’s promises. Let us remain steadfast
and wait on God, who is faithful and who will surprise us with more than we
can ask or imagine.
Questions for Reflection
 1. How does the life of Joseph challenge the way you view your
circumstances? In what ways is God calling you to patiently endure?
2. Just as “God sent [Joseph] before them to preserve life,” how do we
come alongside children to participate as agents of transformation?
(Genesis 45:5)

Prayer
Read Psalm 27:11-14. Identify a theme and allow these verses to
guide you into both a personal prayer and prayer for World Vision’s
staff across the Partnership:
Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they are breathing out violence.
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!

William Quay, Prayer Resource and Initiative Development Specialist, Faith and
Development

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 Daily Reflection 09 not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). And how exciting our life
and ministry becomes when we do!
“Becoming Like Children”
Matthew 18:3 (NIV) Questions for Reflection
1. In what ways might our “understanding” (in the sense described in
“And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,
Proverbs 3:5) be holding us back from seeing all that God wants to
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
do in our area of ministry?
A priest had been preparing a group of seven-year-olds for their First 2. How can we nurture trust in God amongst our colleagues and co-
Communion. When it came time for their first confession, one little girl was workers? How can we nurture trust in God amongst the children we
particularly diligent. She came in with a written list of her sins, which she serve?
proceeded to work through with great solemnity. When she had finished,
the priest blessed her and, as he raised his hand to make the sign of the Prayer
cross, she jumped up and gave him a high-five!
Lord,
There is a lovely sense of celebration and finality in that high-five—which
Thank You that You are completely trustworthy. Thank You that
reflects a complete trust in God’s promises. Children tend to deal in
when You call us to do some work for You, You always equip us to
absolutes. More often than not, their response to God is a great big ‘Yes!’
accomplish it. Forgive us for those times when we have not trusted
By the time we become adults, though, those absolutes are in danger of
You as we should. Help us, Lord, not to set limits on what we
becoming a little grey around the edges. Qualifiers start creeping in, and the
believe You have done, are doing, and will do in our lives and in
“Yes” has perhaps become a ”Yes, but.”
World Vision.
Take the story of Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-33) as an
To You be the glory.
example. Jesus says to Peter, “Come.” Peter’s first, instinctive reaction is a
big “Yes”: he does not hesitate, he climbs straight out of the boat and steps Amen.
onto the water. If we picture the scene, we can then almost see the second
thought dropping into his head – the “but.” The adult in him says, “hang on
a second, I weigh 13 stone, this can’t be happening,” and he starts to sink – Dr. Cheryl Freeman, Senior Director, Strategy and Partnering, Advocacy and
“Yes, but.” External Engagement
In the “grown-up” arena of the workplace we are perhaps more likely to
think and speak in the ‘adult’ voice (“Yes, but”). Yet God calls us to trust
Him as His child (“Yes”). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean

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Daily Reflection 10
“Overlooked”
1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I
have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look
at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
There are several thematic threads within Scripture that emerge over and
over again, giving clarity to aspects of God’s character-revealing to us how
He thinks and what He values. This passage illuminates one of those threads
in a beautiful yet simple way.
The prophet Samuel has been led by God’s prompting to Jesse’s home to
anoint the second king of Israel from among Jesse’s sons. Jesse has done
what any one of us would have done: he lined up all of his above-average
sons on display for selection. They were all likely handsome, well-built,
capable, and experienced. But none are chosen.
“Are these all the sons you have?” Samuel asks.
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Later that day when Samuel anointed David, the shepherd boy, to be the
future king, God pulls the curtain back once again to show the essence of
His character. This is a key theme that we must not miss: God sees the
overlooked. His eyes are often drawn to the ones typically forgotten. This is
put another way by Jesus Himself a thousand years later: “Blessed are the
poor in spirit.”
We must train ourselves to see how God sees. The strong, the capable, the
attractive will often be positioned—or will position themselves—at the
22
front where they are easily seen. As we become more like Christ, we will
learn to look further—to the forgotten and overlooked. To the most
vulnerable. That is where God is working, where we find His beloved, and
where He wants us to join him.
Our Promise to reach the world’s most vulnerable children reflects our
organisational commitment and calling to stay aligned with what is important
to God Himself—to look for the overlooked. In this we find comfort, too,
because many of us have been overlooked by others, but fully seen by God.
Questions for Reflection
1. Have you ever felt overlooked and then experienced the joy of being
truly seen?
2. How can you better demonstrate this beautiful attribute of God’s
character to those that God has placed in your path and in your life?
3. Write the name of one child, colleague, or neighbor that you know
who may be feeling overlooked that you can reach out to.
Prayer
Father,
Teach me to see others—especially children—how You see them.
Forgive me for wrongly ascribing value based on outward
appearances. Give me the courage to take the time and the effort to
go further and find the forgotten, the most vulnerable.
Amen
Brian Sytsma, Executive Director - President’s Office, WVUS
 Daily Reflection 11
“Innovations in the wilderness”

I Corinthians 15:58 (NRSV)

“Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of

the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.”

Part 2: Our All-Powerful God Is With Us
World Vision has faced numerous challenges over the years. We strive to
give God our best even in the worst times, including situations of calamity,
poverty, war and situations of injustice. All of these situations can represent
seasons of “wilderness” in our journey with World Vision. But even in the
wilderness, God’s presence, guidance, and protection have been with His
people. Jesus promised us this when He said, “I will never leave you or
forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).
We will always encounter challenges when serving the poor. We spend a
significant amount of time away from our homes, we are often out of our
comfort zones, we are exposed to danger in our travels and our living
assignments, and we miss our family and loved ones. However, despite these
challenges and ‘wilderness’ experiences, we endure because we desire to
follow Christ knowing that our labour is not in vain.
It is part of our Christian witness to strive in excelling in all that we do for
Christ. Aiming for excellence requires being fearless to innovate, thinking
outside the box, and marching off the map in search of ways for children to
know and experience the love of Christ through us. As we reflect on the
ambitious commitments that come from Our Promise, we must remember
that God called us for a special mission to serve the most vulnerable
children and promised to bless the work of our hands if we are faithful in
following His leading. Therefore, we commit to prayerfully seek God in our

23
decisions, both in our work and our personal lives. We know that God
promised to be with us always. This knowledge should give us the
confidence and courage to obey and serve God wholeheartedly, with joy
and steadfastness. Both in and through Christ, we must always remember
that in every season our labour is not in vain.

Questions for Reflection

1. What are some of the “wilderness experiences” that you and/or your
office have gone through?
2. How did God’s presence guide, protect and encourage you during
those times?
3. In what ways have you been blessed by God as you remained
steadfast and faithful in service?

Prayer
We look to You, God, and Your strength. We seek Your face
always. Help us remember the wonders that You have done: Your
miracles, and the judgments You pronounced. Let Your peace rule
in our hearts. And let us be thankful for Your grace at work in our
lives. Amen.

Malou A. Leonzon, Annual Partnership Bible Study FY16 – Page 49

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Daily Reflection 12
“Letting Go”
John 15:1-2 (NRSV)
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in
me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it
will be even more fruitful.”
God ordains a season for every activity under the heavens –a time to plant
and uproot in patience, as well as times of pruning, all to ultimately bear
fruit and harvest according to His will (Eccl. 3:1-8). He designed each of
these for a purpose and that is for us to bear more fruit. God arranged the
timing of His seasons beautifully and puts His hand in every detail. As the
gardener of His vineyard, He ensures that each season happens according to
His own perfect plan and finds delight in both the process and the outcome.
The Scriptures point us to the necessity and beauty of the pruning process.
Trees need pruning in order to grow properly and bear fruit. Cutting off the
dead, diseased, non-productive branches, as well as some parts of the
productive ones, are critical to stimulate growth and give the tree a
beautiful shape. When the tree is no longer hindered by unhelpful elements,
it can then flourish with a long life that bears much fruit.
In John 15:1-2, God tells us that our relationship with Him is similar to a
vine and its branches. Apart from the vine, the branches cannot grow and
flourish. In the process of growth, God cuts away parts that can prevent us
from bearing fruit. Cutting things off, or removing what we can even
consider important, out of our lives can be painful but it is a necessary
element for fruitfulness.
25
God’s pruning can come in various forms both in our lives personally as well
as on a broader scale as an organisation. It can be a situation where we
need to give up some of our habits, priorities, relationships, possessions,
and positions. It can also be a situation for us as an organisation to let go of
long held ideas in order to make room for new learnings. This pruning
process is God’s gift that challenges us to re-align how we think to accept,
embrace, and celebrate the new.
We will not always understand God’s way of pruning. but we can be assured
that God knows better. Just as trees do not get in the way of their
gardener’s pruning process, we are to recognise and welcome God’s
pruning in areas of our lives including our work. By allowing ourselves to be
pruned, God continues to work in us so that we may bring forth fruit in
abundance.
At the moment, we face many changes in our work situations. How do we
cope with it? How do we make room for God to undertake the pruning
process? How do we respond in a God-honouring way?
Questions for Reflection
1. As individuals and teams, how do we manage the excitement and
anxieties brought about by change?
2. What support do you need to help you manage any anxiety or
change?
3. How are children likely to benefit from the pruning process of our
organisation?
Prayer
Lord,
You have chosen and appointed us to go and bear fruit – fruit that
will last (John 15:16). Help us to trust in Your goodness during the
 seasons of abundance as well as seasons of change. Prune away
anything in our lives which does not bring honour and glory to You.
Prepare our hearts for new learnings and for new growth, so that
we may bear much fruit for Your glory. Amen.

Nestor Dedel Jr., Resource Development and Capacity Building Advisor, Faith and
Development

26
 disrupt our plans, reset our strategies, and may also drain our resources at
some point. Whom do we turn to for help when this happens?
The Bible points us to a God who never changes – a God who can be
Daily Reflection 13 trusted to keep His promises. His faithfulness allows us to look beyond our
realities and the limitations of our current capacities. His never-ending love
“The Unchanging Character of God” and grace gives us assurance and joy even as we seek to be catalysts of
change in truly challenging contexts.
Deuteronomy 7:9 (NRSV)
If we are to keep His commandments and love Him – we will witness His
faithfulness and the fulfillment of His covenant of love to generations. "The
“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping
His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep One who calls us is faithful and He will do it" (I Thessalonians 5:24).
His commandments.”
Questions for Reflection
We often come across the adage that the “only permanent change in this
world is change itself.” Often the pace of change is so overwhelming that we 1. How do you personally cope with change?
find ourselves asking the question: “is there something that is lasting and
2. How can we better manage and support the changes that are taking
permanent in this world?” Constant change becomes the reality that we all
place in our work in light of Our Promise?
cope with and, while doing so, we sometimes miss out on the most
important aspects of life— attentiveness to the blessings found in God and
Prayer
each person that He has gifted us with in our midst.
Pray the following selected Psalms aloud as you commit to trust
Although we live in a transient world, the Bible reminds us that there is a
God in everything:
God that never changes. Our God is faithful through the ages and remains
true to His character of love forever. While the world and our work can Psalm 62:1 "For You alone, O God, my soul waits in silence, from You
often seem like a whirlwind, we hold steadfastly to the righteous hand of comes my salvation."
our God who is capable of giving us stability and assurance through each
changing season. Psalm 143:8 "Let me hear of Your steadfast love in the morning for in
You I put my trust."
It is this reliance on God’s faithfulness that allows us to cope with the
challenges that every change may bring, in and out of each season of life.
In our line of work, it is not only our personal changes and our reality that Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional written by Nestor Dedel Jr. for “Steward of
we need to manage, but also the change and realities of the children and the His Seasons SingleStep Bible Study” - Page 16
communities in our care. Demands from these different realities can clash
and bring us stress. Changes in our personal and work realities can shake us,
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Daily Reflection 14
“Satisfied”
Isaiah 58:11 (NRSV)
“The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden; like a
spring whose waters never fail.”
Dry and sun scorched places can be very uncomfortable. They are where
we sweat a lot, where we get thirsty, where the heat drains away our
energy and where life does not seem to flourish. There are moments in our
lives and in our work where we will be in situations that can be likened to
dry and hot places. Situations where growth seemed slow, where we just
feel tired and lifeless and needing refreshment.
The Bible tells us that God is able to sustain us despite our circumstances.
The passage says that the Lord will guide us always. He will satisfy our needs
and make us strong. We shall be like a watered garden and a spring whose
waters never fail - and all this can happen even while we are in a sun
scorched land. What a promise for us to cling to during times of need!
Our journey will not always take us to beautiful and comfortable situations.
Our passage however invites us to be encouraged in knowing that we have
a dependable God who is able to provide for our needs in a way that
satisfies. Let us depend on Him with a deep trust in His provision. With His
enabling, we can find life, flourishing like a well-watered garden, and succeed
even in the midst of greatly challenging situations.
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Questions for Reflection
1. As we pursue new business processes and approaches in light of Our
Promise, we will have beautiful moments as well as dry and lifeless
moments. How can we help each other make sense of the weariness
that our dry moments bring?
2. How can we overcome these dry moments together and grow in our
dependence on God?
Prayer
Dear God, Fountain of all blessings,
I come to You asking that You would renew my strength. I trust
You alone to renew my heart, soul, and mind. Grant me the
strength to walk the hard, narrow, winding path. Give me the focus
to conquer obstacles in my way. I know I cannot succeed alone, and
I trust You to be at my side. Amen.
“But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength
renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not
get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.” – Isaiah 40:31
Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional written by Nestor Dedel Jr. for “Steward of
His Seasons SingleStep Bible Study” - Page 20
 children. The infinite power and faithfulness of God is the mystery
unraveled by this psalmist as well as the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:20. This
Daily Reflection 15 is the kind of power and hope that we need if we are to walk in victory.

“God’s Infinite Help – Our Hope” Take time to read and reflect on the following verses that speak of God’s
infinite help for those who seek Him:
Psalm 146:5-6 (NIV)
 Psalm 46:1-3
 Isaiah 40:29; 41:10
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their  Jeremiah 30:17
God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he  Philippians 4:19
remains faithful forever.
Questions for Reflection
Many people around the world, including the children that we serve, have
lost hope due to exploitation, exclusion, stigmatisation, and abuse. Some of 1. What are some of the challenges that you see weighing people down,
us may relate and feel helpless due to pressures from our own work and leading to a loss of hope,:
the contexts in which we serve. Vulnerable people can often seek help from  in the communities that we serve?
all sources and places. Sadly, we can also often forget that God should be  in our work?
our primary source of help in times of trouble and need. 2. What attributes of God assure us of His promise for transformed
Still, there can be much pain in waiting for God to respond to our need. lives?
Proverbs 13:12 says “hope deferred” can make the “heart sick”. Unfulfilled
longing can also lead to the loss of self-worth and dignity. Just like all of us, Prayer
the world’s most vulnerable people need assurance of God’s hope, love and Read this hymn by The Church of Pentecost as a closing prayer:
the restoration of their God-ordained dignity.
All my springs are in Thee O Lord
“The God of Jacob” is a title that is used throughout Scripture and especially
in the Psalms to depict the blessings one receives in trusting in the help of All my springs are in Thee O Lord
God. Jacob was not a perfect person, but God honoured the faith he had in
Nothing can satisfy my weary soul
Him and helped him in times of need because he trusted and relied on the
promises of God. All my springs are in Thee (2x)
We need to rest in the assurance that God is able and willing to work
beyond our limitations and capabilities. His power and faithfulness, like His
Seth Acquaye, Faith and Development Manager, WV Ghana
love in Christ Jesus, are far beyond our human understanding. He is the
Maker of the heavens and the earth and has power to act on behalf of His

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Daily Reflection 16
“God cares about the cause of the oppressed”
Psalm 146:7-10 (NIV)
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD
sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who
are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the
foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of
the wicked. The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD.
Reflect on this Poem by Wilson Anku from WV Ghana called “I
Deserve Life with Dignity Too”:
Just look closely
Not so far away, but mostly
I am the one living by you who needs life’s touch
I sit by you in pews in Churches
I am forced to smile with you on days of leisure
Yet I have no lifting from life’s pressure
For days I seek the ears that care to hear my voice of neglect
But they said I should learn to live with my shackles
2
Wiersbe, Warren W., The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: the Complete Old
Testament in One Volume (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 1046.
30
I am that child with life with no sparkles
Though I was created with a nature to dazzle too
I wish you would do these for me;
Use your voice to inspire my case for redress
Search the laws that free my dignity
Bridge the gap of my uneven opportunity
Compel them to respond
I deserve a life with dignity too.
“The list of God’s gracious ministries to needy people has at its heart, ‘the
love of God‘ (v.8). God loves the church (Ephesians 5:25), the lost world
(John 3:16), the lost soul (Galatians 2:20), and His people – Israel
(Deuteronomy 3:7); and the greatest proof of that love is Jesus Christ’s
death on the cross (Romans 5:8).” 2
Jesus continuously demonstrated His compassion towards people living on
the margins of society during His earthly ministry. He brought the good
news of salvation to sinners and healing to the broken-hearted and rejected
people. He delivered many from blindness and brought freedom to those in
bondage to demons and diseases. He indeed cares for the spiritual and
physical (holistic) well-being of all people, especially the dejected or the
most vulnerable (Luke 4:18-19; John 10:10).
We work with children and families that deeply resonate with the needs,
the weariness, and underlying lament of the above poem. Those that we
serve need reassurance that God is aware of their needs and challenges and
that God responds accordingly: “upholding their cause,” “lifting up those
who are bowed down,” and “sustaining” those that pursue life in all its
fullness. Given that we are the hands and feet of Jesus to the world, please
take some time to reflect on the following questions below regarding how
we may avail ourselves as an organization to translate the assurance of
God’s love through our work.

Questions for Reflection

1. How intentional are we in ensuring that our work with the most
vulnerable children points people to God and bears witness to Jesus
Christ?
2. In what ways can we assure the most vulnerable children that God is
aware of their needs?

Prayer
Dear Lord,
May You fill our hearts with Your unconditional love and boldness
so we can continue to be channels of hope for the many vulnerable
people that are seeking Your redemption and fullness of life.
We pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Seth Acquaye, Faith and Development Manager, WV Ghana

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Daily Reflection 17
“Seeking God’s Presence in the Brokenness”
Exodus 33:12-23 (NIV)
“Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but You
have not let me know whom You will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by
name and You have found favor with me.’ If You are pleased with me, teach me
Your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with You. Remember that
this nation is Your people.”
The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then
Moses said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from
here. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people
unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the
other people on the face of the earth?”
And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I
am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
Then Moses said, “Now show me Your glory.” And the LORD said, “I will cause all
My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim My name, the LORD, in
your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my
face, for no one may see Me and live.”
Then the LORD said, “There is a place near Me where you may stand on a rock.
When My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with
My hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove My hand and you will see My
back; but My face must not be seen.”
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This passage of scripture lets us listen in on a personal conversation
between Moses and God during a very painful moment in God’s relationship
with his chosen people: the people of Israel have just sinned by building a
golden calf and worshipping it rather than the Creator. Moses had smashed
the tablets that God had just inscribed on Mount Sinai—a symbol of a
freshly minted covenant already shattered, and the camp had broken out in
violence and experienced a plague. The brokenness of the world was
palpable and everything seemed to be falling apart.
The people were no longer sure that God wanted them. In this intimate
exchange, Moses reminds God (and perhaps himself) that God called him
and chose this people. Still holding on to God’s revealed promises, Moses
pleads for God’s presence to go with them. And, in His incredible mercy,
God responds by saying, “My presence (literally translated “my face”) will go
with you and I will give you rest.”
As we work with vulnerable people, we are often confronted with the
brokenness of the world. Sometimes it feels like everything is falling apart. In
these times we need to know that God is with us. When Moses asked God
to show him His full glory—God responds again in mercy by explaining that
the experience would kill Moses. And yet he gives Moses a powerful
experience of encouragement by allowing him to see where His glory has
passed by. God does not always respond to our requests to show Himself
to us exactly as we wish. But in Scripture He gives us a clear image of where
He has passed by. “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily
form” (Colossians 2:9). We move forward in confidence because He knows
our name, and in His presence we can find rest even in the midst of the
brokenness.
Questions for Reflection
1. In dealing with difficult situations, what can we learn from Moses’
responses?
 2. What Scriptures remind you of God’s presence? What passages or
stories help you to “see his face”?
3. As you look back on your day (or week, or year, or longer), when and
where have experienced God’s presence?

Prayer
Read this Priestly Blessing from Numbers 6:22-27 as a closing
prayer:
‘The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.’
So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I
will bless them.”

Alexis Beggs Olsen, Faith and Development Director, VisionFund International

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Daily Reflection 18
“Be Still”
Psalms 46:1-11 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
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In the mist of tragedy, troubles, catastrophes, and crisis, fear often invades
our minds and sorrows break our frail heart. At these times, Psalm 46
reminds us that we have a safe place to go: into the tender arms of our
Father God, where we can experience the depth of His unfailing love. In His
loving embrace, we can set aside our fears and sorrows. In His arms, we can
receive consolation, our wounds can be healed and our strength renewed.
To protect us, God has the power to destroy instruments of evil that can
cause us harm and pain. At times, however, He will also do away with our
material or physical sense of protection, requiring that we rely more and
more on His spiritual support. His presence is like a river within us; a
fountain of our serenity, protection, and guidance. In His presence, we will
not fall before adversity.
God invites us to be still in His presence and to know all the more that He
is sovereign: “Be still, and know that I am God.” To know implies a
certainty, not a hollow belief in something we have not experienced.
Knowing requires that we walk with God and personally experience His
protection and deliverance.
Questions for Reflection
1. For a few moments, place your hands gently over your heart. Be still.
Let the words “Know that I am God” resonate in your heart. What
spiritual assurances come to your mind?
2. Now open your hands and let them rest on your lap, as symbol of
your peaceful surrender in the presence of God. What do you need to
surrender before God´s unfailing love?
Prayer
Beloved Father,
We are grateful that You meet us in the midst of our troubles. We
surrender to You our fears. We ask You to forgive us for putting
our sense of security in human strategies or material goods. Help us
Father, to be still, and rejoice, before You, knowing that You are
God. Amen.

Anna Christine Grellert, Children in Development - Regional Advisor, LACRO

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Daily Reflection 19
“God’s Spirit empowers us to do His Will”
Luke 12:11-12 (NIV)
“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry
about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will
teach you at that time what you should say.”
John 14:26-27 (NIV)
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will
teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I
leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not
let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Acts 1:8 (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.”
“When we pray for the Spirit’s help … we will simply fall down at the
Lord’s feet in our weakness. There we will find the victory and power that
comes from His love” –
Andrew Murray3
The Holy Spirit’s power is God’s divine energy working in and through us. It
gives us the divine authority needed to carry out the work that God has
called us to do. This power is not just for preachers, evangelists, or people
who work in special ministries. Rather, it is available to every believer who
3
https://donotdepart.com/5-ways-the-Holy-Spirit-empowers
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willingly surrenders moment by moment in submission and obedience to the
Holy Spirit. For us involved in Christian development work, that power is
the daily “fuel” that keeps us going the extra mile as we serve in some of
the most volatile, uncertain, and conflicted contexts. Following Jesus means
serving the most vulnerable communities both with and through God’s
Spirit.
In the passages above, we see three ways in which God’s Spirit empowers
us to accomplish His Will:
Firstly, He gives us the words to speak to authorities and powers on
matters related to our faith and our work. Our advocacy work with and on
behalf of children is shaped by what He teaches us (Luke 12: 11-12).
Secondly, it is His power through us that emboldens us to carry out the
work of witnessing. His power enables us to be effective witnesses of His
Kingdom here on earth (Acts: 1: 8). Thirdly, He is our constant Teacher
and Guide into all truth in our daily lives. This is the power that enables us
to live holy lives as we put to “death” whatever is at war with His good and
perfect will for us (John 14:26).
God will not place you into a position or request a task for which He will
not fully equip and enable you to accomplish.
Questions for Reflection
1. What insights can you pick from these passages regarding the work
of God’s Spirit in your life?
2. Think of the work you do. Identify and share practical ways in which
you have seen the Holy Spirit empower you to achieve your targets.
 3. How do you see God’s Spirit empowering us to achieve Our
Promise?

Prayer

Father in Heaven,
Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to empower us to do Your
will. Please forgive us if we have ever attempted to do any of it by
our own strength. Help us to both rely on and trust in Your power.
Empower us to boldly proclaim the Good News. Give us the power
to pray as we should. Empower us to know, understand, and
appreciate the mystery of the gospel. Help us to deny our flesh and
live rightly for You. By Your power, may we abound in hope, joy
and peace. In the name of Your Son, Jesus we pray. Amen.

Daniel Muvengi, Regional Faith and Development Director, EARO

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Daily Reflection 20
“Making God our Refuge and Strength”
Psalm 46:1-11 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bows and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress
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We often are most aware of our need for God during times of trouble,
when we are forced to surrender our inclinations to control. This Psalm
reminds us of how God protects the “City of God,”- the dwelling place of
God and of His people. In the midst of all distress and disasters, the passage
invites us to find refuge in God who is “an ever-present help in trouble.”.
The Psalmist presents God as all-powerful yet willing to stoop down and
relate to people with different needs.
No matter how challenging your situation may be—you may be suffering
through broken relationships, experiencing poor health or extreme loss
from the effects of natural disasters or epidemics, economic short-falls,
political unrest or even war--God gives us the ability not to fear because
our security is in Him alone.
Through our work with World Vision, we often witness firsthand the earth
being consumed by violence, indifference and sinfulness, leaving communities
torn apart and children desperately lost in the upheaval. Our deep desire is
that God would work through us to triumph over these troubles and secure
peace.
We can take comfort in the Psalmist’s reminder to trust in God no matter
how dire the situation is. To come to Him first:
- Knowing that the all-powerful God is with you- He is your refuge and
strength in trouble.
- Making God your shelter- He will protect you from your challenges,
silencing the threat.
- Glorify Him – He will be exalted as the King and Lord of the nations on
the earth.
Questions for Reflection
1. What are some of the great challenges you are experiencing in your
work today?
 2. In light of this Psalm, what actions do you want to take to help
remind you and others that the God Almighty is with us as our refuge
and strength in times of trouble?
3. How can you help the most vulnerable children and communities find
comfort and shelter in God’s protection when they experience the
turmoil of the world?

Prayer
God our Father,
You have been our refuge and strength in times of great distress.
You have triumphed over the enemies and given us victory. Grant
us wisdom and grace to put our trust in You in both good times and
in difficult times. Help us to overcome the enemies that keep
children and communities from experiencing fullness of life.
Praise be to Your Holy Name.
Amen

Viraj Abeysekera, Regional F&D Specialist, EASO

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 Daily Reflection 21
“God the Reconciler”

Genesis 3:1-13 (NRSV)

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God
had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree
in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “…God said, ‘You shall not eat of
the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or
you shall die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; for God
knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,
knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
Part 3: God’s Power Makes Healing, Reconciliation And and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make
Transformation Possible one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband,
who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew
that they were naked…
They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the
evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the
Lord God among the trees of the garden…”

Our human nature makes us distrust God and alienates us from God in
many ways—yet God keeps seeking reconciliation.
The divine vision for reconciliation reveals the patience and persistence of
God. God’s identity as the ultimate Reconciler can be seen in God’s
unrelenting pursuit of women and men as children to be loved and in God’s
steadfast refusal to be ignored.
While we have been created to enjoy our relationship with God, our human
tendency is to become distrustful and to distance ourselves from the God
who wants to be in relationship with us. Sometimes God refuses to give us
what we desire, leaving us wondering whether God is still there. Even
40
though there is ample evidence for God, we still ask, “Does God really of rights, or conclude that God can be trusted? Will we hear God’s voice
exist?” We engage in the temptation of asking, “Did God really say that?” and accept God’s invitation to be reconciled and restored?
We are like Adam and Eve in the garden, predisposed to believe the voice
of the serpent that counsels, “You will not really die.” We can so easily be
Questions for Reflection
lured away from trusting God and become trapped in multiple expressions
of alienation. Tragically, the greater our distance from God and God’s will 1. The serpent used the appeal of wisdom as a motivation to disobey
and ways, the greater is the danger of our fracturing all other relationships God. As you think about your society and workplace, what are the
and descending into worlds of darkness and disintegration. This distrust and appeals today that tempt and motivate disobedience to God?
alienation can manifest not only within our personal lives, but also with
2. Think about some of your own garden stories … times when you
those that we serve alongside, as well as the broader organisational
were willfully disobedient to God. What happened to you? How did
dynamics of World Vision.
you experience God after your disobedience?
But while we might flail around in confusion, sometimes blaming others for
our plight and believing the serpents of discord and doubt, God cannot but
Prayer
be true to Himself and continues to love us. This expression of God’s
steadfast faithfulness, while refusing to overrule our human prerogative to God our Father,
disregard Him, leaves us vulnerable to the hazardous outcomes of our own
will. God persists in His unconquerable passion to draw us into a Forgive us for choosing to listen to the voices of sin and self over
reconciled relationship with Himself. You. Our sinful and selfish choices have brought us the current
brokenness that we experience all around. We are incapable of
As we reflect on our work with Our Promise, we need to surrender distrust attaining peace and wholeness outside of Your good will. We need
and the need to control; instead, if we are to go further, we must be You and desperately thirst for the reconciliation that You offer us
transformed by continually receiving, embodying, and extending God’s through Your Son, Jesus. We are now ready to trust in You alone,
ministry of reconciliation. listen to You alone, and with Your power bring reconciliation to
our broken world.
The Bible’s first recorded conversation in Genesis is about one of God’s
directives. Like many conversations today, God is offstage. Even though the Amen.
issue at hand is a matter of life and death, Adam and Eve see God’s
expectations as ambiguous and subject to human interpretation.
Within the drama displayed in the Garden of Eden between Adam and Eve, Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional by Don Posterski and Michael Pountney,
the serpent and God raise the same human questions that face us today: Annual Partnership Bible Study FY00 – Page 9
Which voices do we listen to? Do we rationalise our own desires, or
surrender to God’s ways? Do we trust God? Will we write our own charter

41

Daily Reflection 22
“Beyond Justice to Forgiveness”
Matthew 5:43-46 (NIV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But
I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may
be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the
good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who
love you, what reward will you get?
“I remember those shoes,” said an onlooker, as the body of a man was
being dug out of a makeshift grave in South Africa, “I bought them for him.
He’s my brother.”
This is just one of the stories Archbishop Desmond Tutu tells in his
presentations. Like so many other stories out of the horrors of South Africa
and other killing fields in modern history, injustice generates a desire for
retaliation. Do not the Scriptures support the law of “an eye for an eye” or
“a life for a life?” When fathers disappear in the night, when women are
raped, when children are maimed for life, isn’t revenge justified? In the name
of justice, do not those who act in evil ways have to pay a price for their
evil? Jesus’ answer is stunning and revolutionary: “The law of forgiveness
must rule.”
Rather than allowing us to take the law into our own hands, Jesus asks that
we give the law into His hands
As we continue with the expansion of our work in fragile contexts, we will
come across situations of deep complexity and conflict. How can we
posture ourselves as an organisation to follow this “law of forgiveness,” as
embodied by Jesus, both internally and externally? We know what it is to
42
feel that immediate surge of anger and desire for revenge when we are
wounded. In our humanness, we experience the powerful lust to get even.
The radical ethic of Jesus Christ does not ask us to deny our feelings, but it
also does not allow us to act on those feelings through violent retaliation.
Instead, Jesus invites us to call upon His power to forgive - to surrender our
enemies and their evil deeds into his nail-scarred and healing hands.
This is not to say that deep wounds respond to quick fixes. A sincere prayer
before God and an offer to forgive rarely deals with all the psychological
damage and pain of our memories. Forgiveness most often involves a
process of healing that happens over time. Still, the forgiveness of the
offender is God’s way for God’s people to start again through participating
in His sacrificial love for the world.
Going beyond justice to forgiveness is extraordinary. It is beyond human
logic and even beyond our human ability. Only those who fully understand
that they are incapable by themselves of moving beyond justice to
forgiveness will find that they are able by God’s grace to live the law of love.
Questions for Reflection
1. Make a list of the feelings and behaviors that hate produces.
Make a list of the feelings and behaviors that forgiveness
produces. Reflect on the lists and ask: Why is it that forgiveness
is so central to the Christian faith?
2. In what ways can choosing forgiveness and surrendering our
desire for vengeance to God help us in working with the most
vulnerable in fragile contexts?
Prayer
God our Father,
 Grant that violence be overcome by the power of Your love. That
opposition give way to reconciliation and that the desire to oppress
be transformed into the desire for forgiveness, justice and peace.
May the peace of Jesus be in our hearts. Amen.

Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional by Don Posterski and Michael Pountney,

Annual Partnership Bible Study FY00 – Page 64

43

Daily Reflection 23
“Jesus’ healing touch”
Mark 5:34-42 (NIV)
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed
from your suffering.”
While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the
synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher
anymore?”
Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” …
When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion,
with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this
commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at
Him.
After He put them all out, He took the child’s father and mother and the disciples
who were with Him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand
and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl get up!”). Immediately
the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they
were completely astonished.
Jesus did many remarkable miracles during His ministry. One of the most
captivating was His healing of two women on the same day in Mark 5.
At the request of a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, Jesus is on
His way to bring healing to Jairus’ sick daughter. He is on a mission of
restoration, and the crowd is following Him in order to see Him perform
this miracle. After Jesus called them to faith to believe in His power to
overcome the situation, the opinions were divided: some declared that He
could perform the miracle while others doubted.
44
His walk was interrupted by a very sick woman. Bleeding for twelve years,
she was desperate and willing to try anything to receive healing. She heard
about Jesus and believed in His power - she reached out in faith, touched
Him, and was healed. Jesus noticed her and asked that she identify herself.
She eagerly introduced herself and received Jesus' blessing - her body
regained control, she was no longer considered dirty and infectious, and she
gains her place and dignity back in society.
While they were travelling, news came that Jairus' daughter had died -
people said that there was no point in having Jesus come to heal her. When
Jesus told the crowd that she was not dead but sleeping, they laughed at
Him. However, the sick woman and Jairus both believed that Jesus had
power to heal and restore life. In the end, those who doubted and those
who laughed were left in speechless amazement as they witnessed the
miracle of Jairus' daughter coming back to life.
The same Jesus who healed and brought new life to the two women in Mark
5 still brings healing and life to our world today. Many of the contexts God
calls World Vision to work in are filled with conflict, sickness, and a sense of
hopelessness. Jesus invites us to join His mission of bringing healing, hope,
and fullness of life to them. We may fail to believe that this is possible but
Jesus is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream
of, or believe in—infinitely beyond our wildest dreams, desires, thoughts, or
hopes (Ephesians 3:20). He is not limited by our unbelief, and by our limited
capacities. He invites us to step beyond our world and ourselves into the
"God zone" and witness miracles we have not seen before.
Questions for Reflection
1. After reading Mark 5:22–43, what characteristics of Jairus and the
sick woman inspire you?
2. How can World Vision staff become more like Jairus for the children
and communities that we serve?
Prayer
Lord,
You invite all who are burdened to come to You. Allow Your
healing hand to heal us. Touch our souls with Your compassion for
others. Touch our hearts with Your courage and infinite love for all.
Touch our minds with Your wisdom, and may our mouths always
proclaim Your praise. Teach us to reach out to You with all our
needs, and help us to lead others to You by our example. Most
loving heart of Jesus, bring us health in body and spirit that we may
serve You with all our strength. Touch gently yet mightily these
precious lives which You have created both now and forever.
Amen.

Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional written by Richard Chigwenembe for

Annual Partnership Bible Study FY17 - Page 24

45
 budget, and a positive impact on more than 100 million people globally,
World Vision has a great deal to be thankful for. Sometimes, however, our
Daily Reflection 24 pursuit of growth can lead to some ‘tower-like’ tendencies.

“Let us make a name for ourselves” Because Support Offices face incredible pressure to raise brand awareness
and deepen donor loyalty, they can risk shining a spotlight more on
Genesis 11:1-9 (NRSV) themselves than on God’s life-giving cause. Many of our National Offices
have built impressive buildings; yet these can become false monuments if we
“Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they fail to engender a sense of God’s ownership and empowerment within
migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled communities where we work.
there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them
False pride can also lead us to measure progress by revenue, the number of
thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said,
children we sponsor, or the new development programmes we launch. All
“Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and
of these are crucial measures of success; however, they can blind us to the
let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon
ultimate measure: God’s measure. God values the degree to which we are
the face of the whole earth.” The Lord came down to see the city and the tower,
improving children’s true well-being; whether we are demonstrating courage
which mortals had built. And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they
to tackle root causes of injustice facing children; and whether we are being
have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing
faithful to the call to reach the world’s most vulnerable children. World
that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down,
Vision’s sheer size and scale can mislead us into believing we can achieve
and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s
our mission by acting on our own, even competing with one another and
speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the
with other agencies, rather than by building the kind of deep collaboration
earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because
and partnerships which are indispensable in addressing poverty.
there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord
scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.” Babel’s story also gives focus on the people’s fear of being scattered abroad
and their desire to find comfort in man-made security and uniformity. In the
World Vision has grown dramatically during its 69 years into a big and
face of these misguided and self-serving pursuits, God intervenes to
sprawling organisation of diverse cultures, languages and peoples reaching
safeguard fruitfulness, diversity, and greater dependence on Him. World
nearly 100 nations. We work in an increasingly multi-polar and
Vision’s size, complexity, and diversity as an organisation pose both
interdependent world. The story of the Tower of Babel cautions us to resist
challenges and opportunities. Typically, as organisations grow larger, they
the temptation of pride, and provides wisdom regarding how to better
also often become less nimble, less innovative and more risk-averse. While
embrace diversity as an asset rather than seeing diversity as a liability.
well intentioned, some of our own protocols, methodologies, and culture
“Making a name for ourselves” - the story warns against the pitfalls of this can overly discourage taking courageous but calculated risks and can be
corrosive pride and sense of self-sufficiency that led us to build monuments hindrances if not adapted for new needs.
to ourselves rather than acknowledge God and His work in the midst of
human achievements. With more than 37,000 staff, a US$2.7 billion annual
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At its core, the Tower of Babel challenges World Vision staff to soak our
plans and strategies in prayerful discernment, making every effort to ensure
these are aligned with God’s will and not simply our own. Our emergency
relief, transformational development, and advocacy work must seek to join
with God, who is already at work in the world.

Questions for Reflection

1. Reflect and be honest about your motivations during times when the
focus is not on God. Who, in the end, are you working for? Whose
name are you seeking to build up?
2. When donors, local communities, and partners look at World Vision,
to whom do they attribute the good work accomplished?
3. How can we avoid the temptations and motivations of the builders of
the Tower of Babel as we pursue the fulfillment of Our Promise
Strategy?

Prayer
Gracious and forgiving God,
By Your grace allow World Vision to have a humble part in the
building of Your kingdom of justice, where pride is banished,
diversity is celebrated, and life is made fruitful for all!

Adapted by GC F&D Team from a devotional written by Adam Taylor for APBS
FY15 Seeking Justice - Page 21

47
 food on their tables, shoes on their feet and pillows for their heads. More
than enough so that children may have opportunities to go to school, to
Daily Reflection 25 play, and to have a taste of the goodness of God. We continue to lean in to
God asking for His favor to be upon us, to discern what needs to be cleared
“Far More” out, and, with open hands, await in trust for God’s provision in and through
our work.
Leviticus 26:9-10 (NRSV)

“I will look with favor upon you and make you fruitful and multiply you; and I will Questions for Reflection
maintain my covenant with you. You shall eat old grain long stored, and you shall 1. How are we storing the harvest? How are we sharing the harvest we
have to clear out the old to make way for the new.” have been granted?

A 12-year-old boy from Mali reflects on his perspective of God and 2. How can you reach out to someone in need today, especially a child?
spirituality: Listen to one child’s plea and find a way to give to him or her.

“I believe in God and know that he is my Saviour. But sometimes I ask
God this question: If He really loves the world and many people like
World Vision work for the poor, why is it that there are still children who
go to school with no shoes and some children go hungry and die? When
will poverty disappear?”
Prayer
May the God of the harvest bless us so that we may bless others,
supply our needs that we may supply for others, and refresh us that
we may refresh others.

This is quite a reflection from a young boy who confesses God as his Amen.
Saviour and yet asks a pointed question about God’s provision for other
children around him. This is an honest question that many of God’s people,
especially children like this young boy, ask in their hearts and minds. Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional by Louie Cadaing, Annual Partnership Bible
Study FY14- Page 22.
As we look at the challenges ahead of us for Our Promise, we may be asking
this very same honest yet human question. In the midst of all of the
uncertainties, including our goals for funding our work in fragile contexts,
we are able to move forward in faith by remembering and trusting in God’s
promises. This passage from Leviticus tells of God’s willingness to provide
so much that we will have to make room to accommodate the fresh new
harvest.
God’s provision for the world’s needs is more than enough. Many of us are
given enough to share and bless others. Enough so that children may have
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 The Scriptures show us very well that Satan and his army of demons have
great power over lost souls. When a demon possesses a lost person, they
Daily Reflection 26 become powerless to exert his or her own will. “He roamed naked among
the tombs” - this was a physical representation of the demon-possessed
“God’s power is sufficient to transform anyone” man’s inward loss of personhood.

Luke 8: 26-39 New International Version (NIV) This is a story about the heart of Jesus for the unclean: Tombs are unclean,
pigs are unclean, and we are told that it was an unclean spirit who possessed
They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes… When Jesus stepped ashore, he was the man. This unclean spirit knew the identity of Jesus and was rightfully
met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time, this man had not afraid. As soon as Jesus saw the man He knew that the man was possessed
worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, and, without the man asking, had ordered the spirit out in order to set him
he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do You free.
want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, don’t torture me!” For
God has a purpose for His creation. God is on a mission to heal and restore
Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. …
all things that are broken. His will includes the holistic-redemption of all
Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many
creation–healing humanity’s slavery to sin and the societal ills of our lands.
demons had gone into him. And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to
The brokenness from the fall affected all of creation, and God’s plan is to
go into the Abyss.
redeem all that was broken.
A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus
to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. When the demons When Jesus gets into the boat to return across the lake, notice the
came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep transformation of the delivered man’s physical, mental, and spiritual state of
bank into the lake and was drowned. being:
When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported
this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had Earlier Now
happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons He was out of control He was sitting at the feet of Jesus
had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were
afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had He was unclothed He is clothed
been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to He was out of his mind He is in his right mind
leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and
left. He had many demons He’s known as the man from whom the
The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus demons had gone out
sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.”
He lived among the tombs He is restored and told to return home
So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

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This man, who was once feared by everyone and was in torment, would be In the name of Jesus our Savior, we pray.
the first to proclaim the Good News to his home that Jesus saves and
Amen.
restores!
Transformation means change or renewal from a life that no longer
conforms to the ways of the world to one that pleases God. Stanislas Vivian Rajkumar, Associate Director - Capacity Building and Staff Care,
WV India
• The evidence of transformation is seen within us in the way we increasingly
reflect the likeness and glory of Christ.
• Transformed lives mirror the attitude and nature of Christ.
• Transformation is about Christ living in and through us. This involves showing
His compassion and purity both in our being and doing.

While many in our world may not believe in the possibility of demon
possession, many more today feel possessed and powerless before
addictions and mental illnesses. These challenges are also opportunities for
us to participate in God’s restorative work to promote life in all its fullness
in the world, particularly addressing issues that bring torment to many
individuals and their families.

Questions for Reflection

1. How would you define transformation based on these verses?
2. How have you experienced the transforming power of God in your
life? What has He freed you from?
3. In what ways can you share with others what God has done for you?

Prayer
Merciful God,
We desire to be transformed by You and allow Your Life to be
expressed through us. We desire to walk in the Light of Your
Spirit…” Allow us to bring hope to places that need it the most.
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Daily Reflection 27
“Healing and Restoring Lives”
Acts 3: 1-10 (NIV)
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at
three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to
the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those
going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he
asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said,
“Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something
from them.
Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped
him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his
feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking
and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising
God, they recognised him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple
gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what
had happened to him.
This marvelous Bible passage reveals important principles that we need to
integrate in our lives as Christians and our transformational work in World
Vision
1. As Christians following our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we
cannot close our eyes to poverty, injustice, violence and
discrimination. Peter and John stopped to listen and help a beggar that
was lame from birth. God is calling us to deepen our commitment to the
most vulnerable children (Our Promise) and to work in the most difficult
places of the world because:
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2. World Vision promotes holistic transformational development.
We tackle the root causes of poverty based on our understanding of its
complexity. Highlighted in our new Fragile Contexts Framework, we cover
immediate and urgent needs for food, health, water, shelter and protection.
We not only help rebuild both the lives of families and communities, but we
also promote holistic transformation and restored relationships for a
thriving life. In this Bible passage, the lame beggar received much more than
just physical healing. He recovered his dignity, his purpose and enjoyed a
restored relationship with his community and God.
3. This holistic transformation impacts the children that we serve
as they experience God’s love through families and communities.
Transformation also happens in our donors, churches,
governments, companies, and the greater society by moving their
hearts to share resources.
4. Peter, full of the power of the Holy Spirit, tells the beggar: “In the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk”. The same power from God acting
through Peter is acting through us in order to make healing,
transformation, and full restoration possible At World Vision we fully
commit to do our part to serve the most vulnerable children with humility,
faith, and full confidence that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all
we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us”
(Ephesians 3:20).
5. Finally, as Christians, we go beyond material provision: “Silver or gold I
do not have, but what I do have I give you.” Money is not the only
thing that we can offer as a Christian organization. We can look at the eyes
of our World Vision colleagues, every child, and every donor and partner
(Just as Peter and John looked at the lame man) and offer them so much
more in the name of Jesus Christ: a word of encouragement, bearing daily
witness to the living God, an inspired life devoted to serve the poorest, and
ultimately God’s infinite LOVE that transforms social attitudes and values,
moving hearts for profound and sustainable transformation.
Questions for Reflection
1. What more can you offer the most vulnerable children in addition to
economic resources in the name of Jesus Christ?
2. How does being a Christian organization make us different in
comparison to others who also work in fragile contexts?

Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for inviting us to participate in Your vision and Your
loving work to build a world where peace and justice reign so every
child can have life in all its fullness.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, we offer to You our hands, our work, and
our hearts so that, through us, Your Power and Your infinite love
can make healing, human transformation, and full restoration
possible.
Please open our eyes to look at the face of changing poverty and do
not allow us to look away. Please open our hearts to stop, respond
and use all our material and spiritual resources to serve the poorest
and the most vulnerable.
Give us wisdom to understand the root causes of poverty, to map
the most vulnerable children in our countries, and give us the
courage to follow Your calling to the hardest places in the world.
We pray in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Javier Ruiz Gaitán, Chief Executive Officer, WV Spain

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 Daily Reflection 28
“With God all things are possible”
Have you ever dreamed of winning the lottery? In the United Kingdom, I am
told that the probability of winning the lottery is 1 in 14 million! Wouldn’t
we all like to be that winner? Yet, when you are in need, God can make the
impossible – possible!
Some years ago, my brother-in-law unfortunately passed away in the Middle
East and his body was flown back to Chennai, India. The local police near
the airport had to sign off on certain documents and I was tasked with
obtaining this for clearance. When the Head of the Airport police station
arrived, as he was reviewing my documents, he suddenly became inquisitive
after a closer look at the photograph of my brother-in-law, leading him to
ask a question that I did not expect: “Is this person from Bangalore?” As I
replied “Yes,” his response amazed me: “We were classmates in school!”
From this discussion, he then proceeded to help me by personally taking
charge of all the formalities from then onwards.
What is the probability of this occurring in a nation of over 1 billion people,
with multiple cities, and this person being the head of police at this exact
police station? Impossible! Yet, when I was in need, God made the
impossible possible and provided a miracle!
God can transform lives and cause the impossible to be made possible. We
see this in the life of Moses when he called the Israelites to have faith,
despite overwhelming odds, in God’s power as He led them to deliverance
out of Egypt.
Exodus 14: 10-14 (NRSV)
“As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians
advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the Lord. They said to
Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us
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away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt?
Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let us serve the
Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die
in the wilderness.” But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, stand firm,
and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the
Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for
you, and you have only to keep still.”
There is a struggle within us whenever we seek to use our God-given gifts
and talents to the best of our ability yet, at the same time, completely
trusting God for the impossible situations that come before us. We are
easily overwhelmed by the big challenges in front of us that we tend to
forget we have a bigger God with us. We hold on too strongly to our own
analysis of what we think are our strengths and weaknesses and can become
crippled by our thoughts.
We are at times like the people of Israel who thought of the Promised Land
like an impossible dream and doubted God’s power to grant it to them.
Their doubt resulted in 40 years of wandering in the desert. Imagine the
questions that we would have posed to Moses if we were alive then:
 How long will the journey be?
 Do you know the route? (We can’t restrain from throwing in the
question “are we there yet?”)
 There is an awful lot of us, you know, how are we going to have
enough food and water for the journey?
Moses did not know the answer to these questions, yet he stepped out in
faith and obedience.
At what point do we stop relying on our own strength and trust God
implicitly to provide? This is what God continues to tell us and challenge us
to believe– With God all things are possible and God can do abundantly
more than what we can ever imagine or dream of (Matt. 19:26; Eph. 3:20)!
Questions for Reflection
1. Have you experienced a time when you gave up because the road
ahead seemed too difficult or impossible? Do you have a testimony of
God’s miracle in an impossible situation?
2. What can we do to help children, households, and communities who
have given up hope for a brighter future?

Prayer
Father,
We thank You that You are always with us and will never forsake
us. Forgive us when we have given up in seemingly impossible
situations without coming to You in prayer. Lord, at this moment, I
raise up (mention seemingly impossible situations to God in our work /
personal lives). Thank You that You are the God of the impossible!
You have said in Numbers 11:23: “Has the Lord’s arm been
shortened (that He cannot do this)?” We receive our miracle
through faith.
In Jesus name. Amen.

Launce Moses, Regional Head Asia – Interim, VisionFund International

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 Daily Reflection 29
“Treasure in Clay Jars”
2 Corinthians 4:7-14 New American Standard Bible (NRSV)
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this
extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted
in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but
not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the
death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For
while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life
of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh…because we know that the one
who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you
into His presence.
First discovered between 29,000 – 25,000 BC, pottery is one of the oldest
human inventions. Though cheap and functional, pottery is also often
beautiful to the eye. It can come in many sizes, shapes, and colors. Often
made by hand, early pottery was as unique as the artisan who crafted it.
Clay jars, with structures strong enough for rough handling, were originally
designed to carry water from rivers to where people lived.
The Apostle Paul compared our lives to jars of clay: unique, beautiful, strong
yet fragile and easily broken when not handled well. He reminds us that, like
jars of clay, we hold a precious treasure in a perishable container. We are
merely instruments used by God for His special purposes in transforming
lives.
God made each one of us unique in His own image (Genesis 1:27) and
Scripture reminds us that apart from God you and I can do nothing (John
15:5). Still, it gives us great comfort to know that God’s power and love has
no limitations and is able to do exceedingly beyond anything that we can
ever imagine or ask of Him (Eph. 3:20).
We are called to make an impact, transforming the lives of the world’s most
vulnerable children and their respective communities. Just like clay in the
potter’s hand, so are we in God's hands (Jeremiah 18:6). As long as our lives
and work remain in His hands we will be able to see the fulfillment of Our
Promise. This means we must be fully dependent on God as we seek to grow
in our integrity, competency, transparency, commitment and character.
We are not perfect, but God’s grace continues to mold us. The more we
remain in Him, the more useful we become in accomplishing the work He
has prepared for us to do.
Questions for Reflection
1. In what ways are you like a fragile clay jar? What breaks you easily?
2. What treasures has God entrusted you with? Knowing your
limitations, how do you plan to protect and grow these treasures?
Prayer
Though afflicted in every way, I will not be crushed, for the Lord
walks beside me to comfort me.
Though often being persecuted, I will not be forsaken, for the Lord
walks behind me to keep me safe.
Though sometimes feeling struck down, I will not be destroyed, for
the Lord will walk above me to watch over me.
With His extraordinary power, I will be His powerful instrument as
the Lord walks before me to show me the way.
Amen
Tony Moniaga, Partnership Leader - Global Real Estate, Corporate Services

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 Daily Reflection 30
“The New Man’s Clothing”
Colossians 3:12-15. (NRSV)
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone
has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven
you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds
everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.”
Clothing is a big part of how we present ourselves to others – it is often the
first thing that people see.
We recognise people by their clothing – “There is a policeman . . . over there
is the mailman. She must be the waitress and he must be a humanitarian
worker.” Clothing is a simple way to communicate, externally, who we are
and what we do.
Proper clothing affects the way we feel about ourselves. It gives us
confidence and it also inspires conversations that create connections
between people. “Wow nice shoes. Where did you get that?”
Colossians 3 encourages us to “clothe” ourselves with godly virtues - to
publicly display on the outside what God has already done for us on the
inside. We have been chosen by Him, made holy and unconditionally loved
(Col.3:12) – this is who we are on the inside. And these things should enable
us to be merciful, kind, humble, patient, forgiving, loving, peaceful and thankful
on the outside.
What kind of effect does putting these things on have?
The world cannot help but see what we are wearing. It will inspire
conversations and will create opportunities for us to be a better witness to
56
God’s work in our lives wherever we are – at home or even in the
remotest villages where the most vulnerable children are.
Putting these virtues on is not as simple as wearing our favorite shirt. These
virtues are not meant to be removed as well when it’s no longer convenient
– they are to be our permanent skin. How do we make this happen? What
does a life lived in the “new person’s clothing” look like?
The character of Jesus Christ gives us a model to emulate. This is a call to
take on the character of Jesus and put it on us. You may think that it is
impossible for us to achieve, but we do not do this on our own. He imparts
to us the power and ability to do so through the Holy Spirit (Philippians
2:13)! It happens naturally, as we grow in our love and obedience to Christ
daily.
Now how do we grow in Christlikeness daily? Here are a few suggestions:
 Be diligent and consistent in studying the Bible.
 Practice principles learned from scripture.
 Serve and love others the way Jesus would.
 Let peace govern all your relationships.
Questions for Reflection
1. What among these Christ-like virtues do you struggle to apply?
2. What would you do differently to address it from here onwards?
3. How would you apply these virtues to your work within World Vision?
Prayer
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you become more and more like Christ
daily and to overcome what hinders you from becoming the person
God wants you to be.
Kilton Moyo, Faith and Development National Coordinator, WV Zimbabwe and
Nestor Dedel, WVI Resource Development and Capacity Building Advisor for Faith
and Development
 Daily Reflection 31
“Walking off the map”

Matthew 28:20 (NIV)

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Part 4: We Believe By Faith We Can Witness God’s Vision
Become A Reality
Though we may walk in the assurance of God’s love, with love for
neighbour and hope for the future, and though we serve with compassion
balanced by conviction, it is inevitable that we will face suffering in life. No
matter what we do, we cannot escape sadness and even tragedy. There will
be roadblocks and unexpected detours. But God assures us, in Jesus’ words,
that we are not alone. God will be with us always. We do not know what is
in store. But we do know the One who walks beside us.
Through the assuring presence of the Spirit we can live with the mystery of
the unknown, and we can make choices that will determine the next
direction that our life will take.
We are ready to welcome God’s surprises because, in the end, we trust our
God, who has the final authority over all things and is with us always.

Reflection Activity
1. Using coloured pens and a piece of notebook paper, draw a picture
of your life like a flowing river.
2. Note moments when God has led you through some of the surprising
encounters you thought of this week—with people, places or
engagements.

57
 3. Sometimes the river of your life may have seemed so full that it
overflowed the banks. Other times it may have been just a small
trickle. Sometimes there may have been great surprises. Take time to
thank God for His sustaining grace in the past – close by praying for
deeper trust in God for your future steps.

Prayer
Pray: “I kneel before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven
and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches,
He may strengthen us with power through His Spirit in our inner
being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And I
pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power,
together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long
and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that
surpasses knowledge —that we may be filled to the measure of all
the fullness of God. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV)

Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional written by Tim Dearborn and Don

Posterski for Annual Partnership Bible Study FY06 – Page 79

58
 Unexpected places: “Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law
Jethro.…He led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain
Daily Reflection 32 of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a
bush…When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him
“God’s Surprising Ways” out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Come no
closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing
1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT) is holy ground.’…Then the LORD said, ‘I have observed the misery of My people
who are in Egypt.…I know their sufferings and I have come down to deliver
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has them.…So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring My people, the Israelites, out
prepared for those who love Him.” of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go?’” (Exod. 3:1–11)

Unexpected people and impact: “A Samaritan woman came to draw

How many of us have already been somewhere unexpected because of what
God has done in our lives?
God has ways of surprising us. God meets us in unexpected ways – in
unexpected places, through unexpected people, and with unexpected
impact.
God is sovereign. This gives us confidence to move boldly through the
uncertainties that fill the present toward whatever lies around the next
bend in the road.
Questions for Reflection
Read the following Bible passages and identify the following:
1. What did God do that was unexpected?
2. What did we learn from this story about the character of God?
3. What principles can we apply in our work as we seek to fulfill Our
Promise?
water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give Me a drink.’…The Samaritan woman said to
Him, ‘How is it that You, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’…Jesus
answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is that is saying to you,
“Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you
living water.’ The woman said…’Where do You get that living water?’…Jesus said
to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink
of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will
become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ The woman said to
Him, ‘Sir, give me this water.’…Just then His disciples came. They were astonished
that He was speaking with a woman….Then the woman left her water jar and
went back to the city. She said to the people, ‘Come and see a man who told me
everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can He?’…Many
Samaritans from that city believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony.”
(John 4:7–15, 27–29, 39)
Prayer
Pray this prayer titled “May the God of Surprises Delight You” as
you close this time of reflection:4

4
May the God of Surprises Delight You, Elizabeth Figueroa:
https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/may-the-god-of-surprises-delight-you/
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 May the God of Surprises delight you, inviting you to accept gifts
not yet imagined.
May the God of Transformation call you, opening you to continual
renewal.
May the God of Justice confront you, daring you to see the world
through God’s eyes.
May the God of Abundance affirm you, nudging you towards deeper
trust.
May the God of Hopefulness bless you, encouraging you with the
fruits of faith.
May the God of Welcoming invite you, drawing you nearer to the
fullness of God’s expression in you.
May God Who is Present be with you, awakening you to God in all
things, all people, and all moments.
May God be with you. Amen.

Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional written by Tim Dearborn and Don

Posterski for Annual Partnership Bible Study FY06 - Page 75

60

Daily Reflection 33
“Discerning God’s Will”
Jeremiah 6:16 (NRSV)
“Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient
paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.”
In life’s journey, the road can take us in different directions and we need to
assess and navigate the way forward. When we reach crossroads, decisions
have to be made for our good, as well as for those in our sphere of
influence. How then should we discern God’s will and navigate the journey?
Let us glean some insights from Jeremiah 6:16:
1. Stand at the crossroads: Stop, be still, wait and see what’s ahead, and
pray that God will help you to be still and patient.
2. Look: Be attentive to your surroundings and carefully consider how to
best examine and analyse your options. Ask God to open the eyes of your
heart to see both that which is seen and unseen. .
3. Ask for the ancient paths: Consider and learn from the past to
partake of the experiences of people who have led and walked before you.
Listen to their insights and counsel and ask God to allow you to remember
the past lessons of history.
4. Ask where the good way is: Wait for revelation, gain certainty, build
confidence, and secure your steps. Ask God to reveal to you the path
prepared for you, for your team, and for the organisation as a whole.
5. Walk in it: Obey, take action, move forward, and find your rhythm. Ask
God to guide your every step and confidence in knowing that you are in the
centre of His will.
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6. Find rest for your soul: Experience refreshment, renewal, and
reflection; allow your heart to give God glory through expressing
celebration and giving thanks. Ask God to refresh you and allow you to
always remember the faithfulness that He has shown to you throughout the
journey.
Questions for Reflection
1. Considering the various steps/insights above, which are your
strengths? Is it in the standing, the looking, or the asking?
2. What areas in your life need improvement?
3. As we discern our steps for the realisation of Our Promise, what are
the mind-sets and behaviours that you need to stop, start, or
continue?
Prayer
God our Father,
You have a plan for each one of us. You hold out to us a future full
of hope. Give us the wisdom of Your Spirit so that we can see the
shape of Your plans. In the gifts You have given us and in the
circumstances of our daily lives, give us the freedom of Your Spirit
to seek You with all our hearts and to choose Your will above all
else.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional written by Louie Cadaing for Annual
Partnership Bible Study FY16 - Page 31

Daily Reflection 34
“Gearing Up for The Journey”
Nehemiah 2:1-18 (NRSV)
“...I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor
with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, so
that I may rebuild it.’ ...it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a date. Then I
said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of
the province Beyond the River, that they may grant me passage until I arrive in
Judah; and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, directing him to give
me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, and for the wall of
the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.’ And the king granted me what I
asked, for the gracious hand of my God was upon me. Then I came to the
governors of the province Beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters...I
came to Jerusalem and was there for three days. Then I got up during the night, I
and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do
for Jerusalem...I went out by night...and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had
been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire...The officials did
not know where I had gone or what I was doing; I had not yet told the Jews, the
priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest that were to do the work. Then I said
to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates
burned. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer
disgrace.’ I told them that the hand of my God had been gracious upon me, and
also the words that the king had spoken to me. Then they said, ‘Let us start
building!’ So they committed themselves to the common good.”
Nehemiah was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I of Persia and received a
report that, despite the return of thousands of Jewish exiles to Judea in
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recent decades, “the remnant there in the province who had survived the
exile [was] in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem was broken
down, and its gates were destroyed by fire” (Neh. 1:3). Nehemiah
responded by weeping, mourning, and fasting before God. Requesting to
rebuild his city’s broken walls, Nehemiah prayed that God would grant him
success and favor in pursuing this project (Neh 1). He believed that God
placed that desire in his heart (Neh.2:12) and acted in faith by ensuring that
everything necessary is prepared for it.
Nehemiah began by expressing his plan and vision for his city’s broken
walls to the king (Neh.2:1-5). As an answer to his prayer, God granted
Nehemiah favor from the king. So he set a clear timeline for the project
(Neh.2:6). He also asked the king for letters to specific people that can
provide him with security (Neh.2:7), with necessary construction
materials (Neh.2:8) and even the accommodation he needed while the
rebuilding is ongoing (Neh.2:8)! Nehemiah went to the site and made a
careful inspection (Neh.2:11-16) of the broken walls while waiting for the
appropriate time to talk to his own people who can help him lay down
the bricks and start the construction work (Neh.2:12,16). At the right time,
he shared the vision he received from God to his people and
invited them to participate, and the construction began (Neh.2:18).
While there are challenges that came to their work, they stood firm and
resolved to complete the project. In 52 days the wall was completely rebuilt
according to God’s specific instructions.
Nehemiah lived out his faith by being thoroughly prepared; God honored
Nehemiah’s diligence by granting him success and favor from the right
people. Following the example of Nehemiah who executed each step of
rebuilding the wall according to faith and obedience to God’s instructions,
how can we live out our faith as we embark on new projects in fulfillment of
Our Promise? How do we equip ourselves and put our trust and confidence
in God for the journey ahead?
Question for Reflection
  What principles can we apply from this passage of scripture as we
engage the staff, children, community and other stakeholders in the
fulfillment of Our Promise?

Prayer
Pray and reflect on this blessing statement:
“Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success
and build the house of the Lord your God, as He said you would.
May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when He puts
you in command…, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your
God. Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the
decrees and laws that the Lord gave.... Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or discouraged.” 1 Chronicles 22:11-13

Nestor Dedel Jr., Resource Development and Capacity Building Advisor, Faith and
Development

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 Questions for Reflection
1. In our pursuit of Our Promise, what are some early “fruits” that
God has already allowed us to see?
Daily Reflection 35
2. What are ways that we can celebrate God’s gift of harvest in our
“Reaping What We Sow” teams?

Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV) Prayer

Heavenly Father,
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a
harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to In Your strength, we pray that we may run the race and complete
all people…” the work that is set before us. Give us the grace of patient
endurance, fixing our eyes on You, as You are the author and
There are times in our work when progress seems slow and we yearn to finisher of our faith— the solid Rock upon which we stand.
see the fruits of our labour. The Bible encourages us not to become weary
nor give up, but instead continue to find opportunities to do good. If we do Help us to lay aside everything that hinders our progress, diverts
so faithfully, the harvest is certain – at the “proper time.” This is the our attention, and makes us impatient for the harvest that You have
more challenging element of this passage: when is the proper time and who set. Empower us by the strength of the indwelling Holy Spirit to
says “it is time?” continue on and not be weary of doing what You have called us to
do. Amen
Between planting seeds and the harvest is a period of waiting. This is not
a passive waiting but an active waiting. We continue to weed, watch over,
water, and care for the seeds so it will grow and bear fruit. We continue to
Adapted by GC F&D from a devotional written by Louie Cadaing for “Steward of
labour and find every opportunity to nurture. There are processes that
His Seasons SingleStep Bible Study” - Page 24
happen underneath which are not visible to us but visible to God– not
seeing something does not mean nothing is happening. While we are
waiting, God is faithful to show us signs that He is actively at work. We
see the seeds sprout from the ground, grow taller and taller, branch out,
bloom and have fruits.
God is in charge of the harvest. He determines when is the perfect time.
God sees our faithful work and is able to bring them to completion. While
there is work to be done, there are also times to taste and see God’s
goodness. Enjoy and celebrate the harvest. It is God’s way of refreshing His
workers.
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 In many ways, the harvest season is a time to look ahead as much as it is a
time to look back. In anticipation, we ask what can we do next? How can
Daily Reflection 36 we be more productive? How can we further increase the harvest? In
reflection, what are the factors that led to the bountiful harvest? What did
“Recognizing the God of the Harvest” we do right? What are principles and lessons we need to carry forward?

Malachi 3:10 (NRSV) As we are obedient to His call, God is able to do far more than we ask or
imagine - in seasons of planting and in seasons of harvest.
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house,
and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the Questions for Reflection
windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.”
1. What has been your most memorable experiences in your work?
What have you learned from these experiences?
There is no season like harvest season. It is a time to reap, pause and rest,
and give thanks until the planting season comes around again. We feel full 2. How can you apply these lessons for this new season in work?
and satisfied, and deservingly so, as we have worked hard and waited
patiently under God’s provision. Prayer
Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 says that "the ability to enjoy one's wealth and The world is alive with Your goodness, O God,
possessions and be happy in their toil is a gift of God." The passage further
says that the people that have received this gift "seldom reflect on the days It grows green from the ground and ripens into the roundness of
of their life because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart." This fruit.
is a beautiful description of the blessings of God - to enjoy God's blessing is
Its taste and its touch enliven me and stir my soul.
a blessing in itself. It is a call for our hearts to be filled with celebration and
thanksgiving - to remember and recognise the God of the harvest and the Generously given, profusely displayed, Your graces of goodness
source of all our provisions. We should take time to do this and do this pour forth from the earth.
well.
As I have received so free me to give. As I have been granted so
We need to remember, though, that the other aspect of celebration and may I give.
thanksgiving is to recognise that God did not give us the harvest to keep for
ourselves. God did not allow us to complete our work for our own self - Celtic Benediction, Morning and Night Prayer; J Philip Newell
esteem. While this is important, the greater call is to give back that we may
bless others - that more children may be reached, more families touched,
more communities transformed. We need to consider the invitation to Louie Cadaing, Page 26 of SingleStep Devotional Guide, “Steward of His Seasons”
enlarge our territory so more can be done in God's kingdom.

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Daily Reflection 37
“Have Courage in God”
Joshua 1:1-9 (NIV)
After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of
Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these
people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to
them—to the Israelites. …As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never
leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these
people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses
gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful
wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it
day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you
will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will
be with you wherever you go.”
This passage can be summarised into one simple yet challenging exhortation
that is repeated three times: “Be strong and courageous.” As Joshua takes
over from Moses to lead the Israelites, God reaffirms his covenant with his
people to be faithful and He will always be with them. God is telling Joshua
not to walk away but instead to stay strong and courageous by keeping the
faith, reading the law and scripture, meditating on it frequently- knowing
that God will always be with him.
Courageously trusting God to fulfill Our Promise
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We have prayerfully developed Our Promise and commit to embrace the
challenge to do better, to make a greater impact, and work in fragile
contexts for the world’s most vulnerable children.
However, when one of our ministries has a setback or budgets are not
being met, sometimes it is hard to keep the faith. God invites us to see this
crossroad as an opportunity to deepen our reliance on Him as an
organisation. We can never practice courage like Joshua and experience
God’s powerful deliverance on display when things are going well and there
are no challenges!
Like Joshua facing uncertainty looking ahead, we, too, need to step out with
boldness and courage as we follow Jesus in our work serving the most
vulnerable children. Ephesians 2:10 asks us to embrace the “good works”
He has prepared beforehand for us to do. God does not give us “easy
works,” but challenges us instead to go beyond ourselves in trusting that
“God will be with us wherever we go.”
How is God calling us to courageously do what is needed to deliver Our
Promise?
Courageously resting on God’s presence
God anointed Joshua letting him know that His presence is real and that He
would be with him every step of the way.
We need to let our courage rest in God’s presence, too. Trust that God’s
divine resources will create more than the resources of man. Our vision
“that every child lives life in all its fullness” can seem overwhelming.
However, nothing is impossible with God.
Courage is anchored in the word of God
The success or failure of a mission depends on its anchoring to the truth –
the word. If you obey Gods word, you will find success in God’s eyes – just
like Joshua. By saying, reading and meditating on the word all the noise of
the world stops – you gain wisdom from the word but also allow God to
speak into your life to do His will.

Questions for Reflection

1. How do we enable the Word of God to guide us?
2. How do we immerse ourselves in it to speak it, to read it, meditate
on it, and act in a way that is congruent with our lives so that God’s
vision can become a reality?

Prayer
Read Psalm 121 as a prayer of confidence in God:
I lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip

He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm
He will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Fiona Dunn, Faith, Learning and Development Director, WV IT

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Daily Reflection 38
“God’s World Vision”
Revelation 7:9, 16-17 (NIV)
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one
could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the
throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding
palm branches in their hands…
‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘He will lead them to springs of living water.’
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
Today, even as God sustains this world and our personal lives, His grand
vision for us goes far beyond what we see now. His vision goes to the
glorious day where a “great multitude from every nation” will see and
worship Him face to face.
Today, as God hears every sigh, feels every pain, and sees every tear, His
vision already anticipates the great day where the last tear will we wiped
away and sighs will give way to a response of exuberant celebration.
Today, as God’s ear is attentive to the pleas of boys, girls, women, and men
going hungry and thirsty, He already celebrates the great day where no
memory of this feeling or even the words ‘hunger’ or ‘thirst’ will be known.
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Today, as God exhorts us to pursue unity amongst ourselves, He rejoices in
the vision of the great day where the multitude of our differences will
radiate like a colorful rainbow displaying His beauty.
While God is fully present with us in our often messy, hurting, and distorted
today, His vision for us and the world reaches beyond to the great day
where our lives will know completeness, centered on the Lamb on the
throne.
Questions for Reflection
1. What are today’s pain points that you are experiencing in your life or
in the workplace? How does God’s vision of our world put right under
the Good Shepherd bring perspective into this pain?
2. In many of our contexts, we face poverty and injustice daily, and the
consequential havoc that it rages in the lives of children. How can
God’s vision help us avoid falling into despair or sarcasm, and
continue to fight for life in all its fullness for every child?
3. As we encounter pain, need, and conflict around us, how can our lives
and ministry reflect the assurance of living under the shelter of His
presence and, as a response, invite others to join into God’s vision?
Prayer
Father,
It is good to be reminded that You hold this world in Your hands
and that our lives will find their fulfillment before Your throne,
worshiping and enjoying You forever together with people from
every tribe, nation and tongue.
Help us trust in Your goodness and greatness as we keep
encountering hunger, thirst, and tears. Fill us with courage and hope
as we seek to be ambassadors of Your peace by helping those in
 need. Be our Shepherd, dear Lord, lead us to springs of living water,
and wipe away every tear from our eyes. Amen

Esther Lehmann-Sow, Partnership Leader, Faith and Development

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Daily Reflection 39
“Going Further With Jesus Christ”
John 15:5-11 (NRSVA)
I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in Me and I in them bear
much fruit, because apart from Me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide
in Me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered,
thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by
this, that you bear much fruit and become My disciples. As the Father has loved
me, so I have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will
abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His
love. I have said these things to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your
joy may be complete.
We have all experienced the great pressure that comes from the urgent
needs of our work. As we serve around the world, we witness millions of
children’s lives that are on the line—caught between that perilous divide
that separates “fullness of life” from death itself. The work we do can make
a difference in the precious lives that we are acting to protect. We must
not forget, though, that it is Christ who has called and prepared each of us
for this good work (Ephesians 2:10) and that He is the actual source of life
(John 14:16).
How are we, as World Vision, to achieve success in promoting the well-
being of children? Being effective and creating positive impact through our
5
Faith in Action Study Bible, 2005. P. 1773.
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various sector work is incredibly important, but this is not the source of our
success. Our success begins with and is sustained by Jesus Christ. He is the
author of creation and the originator of our faith (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews
12:2). He is the “heart-beat,” the “life’s blood,” the very centre and essence
of our ability to serve. We are called to abide in Christ’s love by allowing
His words to dwell in us and keeping His commandments. So what you and
I are doing right now—reflecting on His scripture—is a necessary element
to our being able to bear much “fruit” through our efforts.
Following Jesus Christ—or, in a word, discipleship—is not, however, about
scripture study and obedience alone. The World Vision Faith In Action
Study Bible Commentary wisely notes:
Discipleship is a way of thinking (doctrine) and living (ethics), as
well as a supernatural experience (relationship). Neither doctrine
nor ethics can alone define Christian discipleship. “Remaining in
the vine”—experiencing Christ—is a nonnegotiable feature of
following Jesus.5
The only way we can go further than we can imagine is to be led by the One
who has the vision to see what is ahead of us. Let us humbly abide in Jesus
Christ, allowing Him to show us the way.
Questions for Reflection
1. As you reflect upon John 15:5-11, what part of Jesus’ words most
resonate with you and why?
2. What thoughts should we have to think like Jesus Christ (doctrine)
about child well-being?
3. What actions should we take to live like Jesus Christ (ethics) in
support of child well-being?
Prayer
Father,
We humbly ask that You do what only You can do—help us abide
in Your Son Jesus Christ, softening each and every one of our hearts
to Your leading.
You are the Author and Creator of all things. There is nothing we
can do without Your power at work within us. We can only go as
far as You are willing to take us.
Please continue to draw us closer and closer to You, so that we can
experience the complete freedom and joy that comes from
obedience to You.
We lift up these prayers in the precious and powerful name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.

Odoi Odotei, WVI Director for Learning and Development - Christian Formation
and Spiritual Nurture, Faith and Development

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Daily Reflection 40
“New things, but not in old ways”
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.”
In the midst of Israel's despair and discouragement during their exile in
Babylon, God gives them a promise of hope through the Prophet Isaiah. This
is about a new thing that He is going to do for them. But the promise comes
with a condition: “Forget the former things, do not dwell in the past. Look for
new things in unexpected places.”
When seeking to go further than we imagined in places and situations where
there was no way with God, there is the possibility of a new way. Where
there was a wasteland that could not sustain life, with God there are
streams opening up new possibilities.
God brings new things in unexpected places. But will we perceive or
recognise them? Will we let go of the former things that have served us well
in order to embrace the new?
Consider this story about new things in unexpected places.
Cliff Young was a 61-year-old farmer in 1983 when he entered the
Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon, a distance of 875 kilometres (544
mi). He showed up to compete in overalls and work boots, without his
dentures (claiming they rattled when he ran). Other competitors made
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fun of him. He ran at a slow, loping pace and at the end of the first day
he trailed the pack by a large distance. However, while the other
competitors stopped to sleep, Young kept running. He ran continuously
for five days, taking the lead during the first night and eventually winning
by ten hours.
Before running the race, he had previously run for two to three days
straight rounding up sheep in his gumboots. He claimed that during the
race, he imagined he was running after sheep, trying to outrun a storm.
The run took him five days, 15 hours and four minutes, almost two days
faster than the previous record. Upon being awarded the prize of
$27,000, Young said that he felt bad accepting it. So he split the money
equally between the five runners that finished after him, keeping none for
himself. The "Young Shuffle" has been adopted by some ultramarathon
runners because it expends less energy.
In the The Message version of the Bible, Isaiah 43 verse 19 reads, “Don’t keep
going over history. Be alert. Be present. I’m about to do something brand new.”
Today, God is sending forth a promise of hope that can only be received
when we choose not to dwell in the past and receive what He now has in
store for us – even from unexpected places or people (like Cliff Young).
Questions for Reflection
1. What does being alert and present to the new things that God might
be doing look like for you in your context? Think of your work with
supporters, donors, communities, the most vulnerable children,
partners, churches, or in advocacy.
2. What attitudes and mindsets need to be left in the past so that we
can go further than we imagined? Reflect on how this relates to the
Our Promise mindsets: Unity and Trust; Looking Outward; Wise
Stewardship; Timely Truth Telling.
Prayer
Lord God,
You have declared that Your kingdom is among us. Open our ears
to hear it, our eyes to see it, our hands to serve it, and our hearts
to hold it. Take from us what we need to carry no longer, so that
we may be free again to serve You and to be served by each other.
This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Adrian Brown, Change Management Lead, Our Promise Strategy Realisation Office

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