【Prayer for Hong Kong】

 

Lord, we ask You to give us a heart willing to share. "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: though He was rich, for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9) "For if there is a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what one does not have. I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack; that there may be equality. As it is written, 'The one who gathered much had nothing left over, and the one who gathered little had no lack.'" (2 Corinthians 8:12-15)

 

O God of mercy: We pray for Your grace upon Hong Kong, that the gap between rich and poor may narrow. Grant wisdom and courage to the future Chief Executive and government to establish long-term, comprehensive, and fair policies, so that the poor do not become poorer and the rich do not become richer. We aim to eliminate intergenerational poverty and provide opportunities for children from impoverished families to develop their potential. In a society filled with rejection and contradictions, we ask You to bestow love and acceptance upon us, so that the people of Hong Kong can embrace new arrivals from mainland China and ethnic minorities, recognizing their value positively, fostering mutual respect, and assisting them in integrating into society to contribute their strengths, thus making our community more harmonious.

 

Faced with an aging population, many impoverished elders struggle in difficult situations. We ask You, Lord, to help them receive appropriate care and let them enjoy their retirement with dignity. We pray that the government will seek social consensus to implement long-term policies for elderly care and retirement security, allowing elderly to see their value and continue to contribute to society.

 

Lord, peace and prosperity are what the people of Hong Kong desire, but housing prices and rents have exceeded citizens' ability to afford them. Many grassroots groups struggle to make ends meet for housing and face hard lives. We ask for Your mercy and grace, so that property developers and the wealthy, acting with corporate conscience, may ease their grip on the poor, not seeking to maximize profits but to give back to society. We also pray for wisdom in resource distribution and policy-making from the government to resolve livelihood and housing issues, allowing Hong Kong to develop sustainably and ensuring all citizens can share in prosperity. We ask You to remove greed that arises under capitalism, enabling the people of Hong Kong to support one another and embody a spirit of sharing.

 

Lord, You are the head of the Church. The Church must walk in Your light, becoming salt and light in society, continually seeking Your guidance. In our lives, may we witness Your fairness and justice, possessing a heart of compassion and serving our community with divine insight. Grant us wisdom to use the resources You have bestowed upon us, care for our neighbors, share Your love, and shepherd together so that others may experience Your grace and salvation and gain favor among the people.

 

In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!

 

Pastor Leung (梁友東牧師)