Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 22

Theme
God is our help.

Opening Verse
Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Isaiah Ivii. 15.

A Psalm of Ascent
IF the LORD himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say; * if the LORD himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us;
They had swallowed us up alive; * when they were so wrathfully displeased at us.
Yea, the waters had drowned us, * and the stream had gone over our soul.
The deep waters of the proud * had gone even over our soul.
But praised be the LORD, * who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we are delivered.
Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.
The One Hundred Twenty Fourth Psalm, 1928 Book of Common Prayer (USA)

First Lesson
1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
15 "But Lord , " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
33 Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.

Judges 6, NIV

Second Lesson
11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."
14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15T he dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judeaand the surrounding country.
Luke 7, NIV

Collect
ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking; We beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities; and those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A GAFCON Pilgrim's Perspective
My hope and prayer is that GAFCON will advance Christ’s Kingdom by promoting unity, mission, and realignment among faithful Anglicans around the world.
Professor George Egerton, University of British Columbia, Canada