'I will never betray you', Peter declared at the Last Supper. And indeed he stayed close to Jesus all through his arrest and trial, albeit in the shadows. Yet, before the cock crowed he had denied Jesus three times. Knowing this secret he had to watch and wait three agonising days with the other disciples, sharing their anxiety and sorrow. No wonder he ran to the garden on the third day when Mary brought the news that the tomb was empty; the beginning of hope restored. Back on the shores of Galilee where he had first met Jesus, he is embraced, forgiven and recommissioned. Pray for any feeling disqualified or who have lost their way with Jesus, or are facing the sifting Satan demands of us all. May they know His love and be aware of His presence. 

Figures show that very little has changed when it comes to addressing the gender pay gap in Great Britain. Women in the UK were paid just 90p for every £1 earned by a man, according to the latest figures released through the government’s gender pay gap reporting mechanism. Among those high-profile companies reporting particularly large gender gaps was EasyJet. According to data filed by the company’s larger arm, Easyjet Airline Company, women’s median wage stood at just 36p for every £1 that men earned last year. Other companies reporting that median male earnings were at least double that of female employees include HSBC Bank along with several academy trusts. A spokesperson for EasyJet said its ‘gender pay submission does not represent a complete picture because the data in April 2021 included pilots, while the majority of our predominantly female UK cabin crew community remained on furlough’.

Boris Johnson has said he does not think ‘biological males should be competing in women’s sports and the ‘sensible’ view was that transgender athletes - such as Lia Thomas, a swimmer who won America’s top trophy in university sports - should not be allowed to compete alongside cisgendered women and that children should not be allowed to decide their own gender without parental assistance. His most comprehensive comments yet on transgender issues came days after the Government decided not to ban trans conversion therapy, as the Conservative Party promised at the last election. Conversion therapy attempts to change or suppress someone’s sexuality or gender identity. Mr Johnson also said he thought it was important to have women-only spaces in hospitals, prisons and changing rooms but admitted there were ‘complexities and sensitivities’ around transgender issues that ‘still need to be worked out’. It is already outlawed in several other countries.

Senior managers have written to executives at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust saying lives have been put at risk and patients left to die without dignity because of long waits. The letter, reported by Health Service Journal, says, ‘For the past few months we have on a regular basis had more than 50 patients waiting for a bed and that wait being in excess of 60 hours. This means that at most times there is limited or no space to accommodate newly acutely ill patients, causing ambulance handover delays of over four hours and delay in treatment.’ They reported an increase in clinical incidents, pressure sores, detrimental outcomes, and occasions where patients ‘die without the dignity of privacy’. ‘We have witnessed senior experienced staff crying with frustration and anger,’ in increasingly precarious situations.

David Smith, a former employee of the British embassy in Berlin, was arrested for having allegedly offered names of British officials to Russian spies. He was extradited to the UK on 4th April after losing a battle to stay in Germany and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court the following day. The state court of Brandenburg said that it had accepted an extradition request by the Government for Mr Smith, who has been in German custody on suspicion of spying for Russia. Mr Smith was arrested at his home in Potsdam, 21 miles west of Berlin, last summer after a joint investigation by German and British security services found that he had been selling information to Russia since at least Nov 2020.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban won his fourth term in Hungary’s general election. In his victory speech, Orban said, ‘We never had so many opponents, Brussels bureaucrats, the international mainstream media, and the Ukrainian president.’ He has close ties with Moscow and has banned transferring arms to Ukraine. Victory for Orban means a headache for the EU. In 12 years of tenure, he has rewritten the constitution, filled the top courts with his appointees, and changed the electoral system to his advantage. During campaigning, the opposition's catchphrase was ‘Orban or Europe’ complaining he had isolated Hungary from the European mainstream, from consensual democracy, fairness and decency. Hungary is isolated in the EU and NATO - but neither institution will ostracise him. They want to show Russia Western unity so he will remain an unpredictable thorn in their side. Orban said Hungary would pay Russia in rubles for gas – other European countries have ruled it out.

God loves the nations, and we can pray for their healing and destiny. May Ukraine experience God’s comfort and help. May the sun of righteousness rise upon them with healing in its wings. May God’s peacemakers arise in Russia, people full of mercy. Pray for love to overcome evil and for all that is in the dark to come to light. Pray for corruption to be revealed. May Jewish people in both countries hear the call to come ‘home’ to Israel and that spiritual revival comes. Europe is currently experiencing how the national and international security of the past few decades is beginning to falter with Russia invading Ukraine. The war poses far-reaching questions regarding political, diplomatic (international relationships, understanding of national interests), economic (sanctions, embargo) and military (weapons delivered to Ukraine, realignment of military resources) How can the war be ended quickly? 

Anger over the worst economic crisis in decades drives unrest as hundreds of people defied a curfew and rallied in Sri Lanka’s cities and towns demanding the president steps down. They believe their economic crisis has resulted from the incompetency and impulsiveness of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brothers (prime minister and finance minister) making seriously foolish decisions. The entire Cabinet resigned on 3rd April to try and appease protestors, but protesters won’t stop until the president resigns. Police are arresting hundreds for defying the curfew. India announced $1 billion credit to Sri Lanka to help shore up the sinking economy and keep food and fuel costs down. Sri Lankan doctors intend protesting as hospitals run out of essential drugs.   Meanwhile, a Christian worker said, I’ve never seen people in Sri Lanka praying as much as they are now. Around the clock, pastors and church leaders are gathering. There are many prophetic utterances that a big revival is taking place.’ 

Pray for Christians in the Muslim world during the month of Ramadan when Muslims will fast from food and drink during daylight, pray, do acts of charity and give alms. Most Muslims observe Ramadan peacefully, but it creates problems for Christians in Islamic environments. In theory, non-Muslims are not required to fast because it is a form of Islamic worship and one of the five pillars of Islam. However, Christians and other religious minorities in Muslim-majority countries can feel pressured into joining in the severe fast. They will probably be unable to eat in public, creating difficulties for those working outside the home. The month of Ramadan is especially hard for secret believers who converted from Islam but have not told their Muslim families for fear of persecution and even death. They must make the month-long extra commitment to Islamic observance, or risk showing that they have apostatized from Islam.

26 pastors have been explicitly named and included in written threats. A Christian leader from a nearby city said other Christians in the area have also received threats, but still gather for worship, saying, ‘This is God’s work and we will not deny Him. It is difficult, we must face these things. Please pray that we are not discouraged.’ Police have not taken action and are not interested in pursuing those who attack or kill believers. Sometimes the police side with the persecutors. Please pray for the 26 named pastors to be protected from harm. Their names can’t be shared for security reasons, but God knows them. Pray for all Christian leaders in India to receive God’s love and strength, and continue to be resilient in their faith and witness as the attacks against Christian leaders increase daily. Even if they don’t kill in all the cases, the injuries are serious and long-lasting.