So in a world, which seems alien to your word, but very close to some of the societies described in the ancient world in it, we want to honour you, speak up for you, and live at peace if we can.

Help us to deal in both truth and love as we live with our neighbours, colleagues at work and school or tertiary education. May we radiate both grace and light.

This week most of us will get to stand in a cardboard box, holding a couple of ballot papers, one the size of a baby blanket, and a pencil. Please help our nation, Australia, as we go to vote. Help all the people reading this to work out how to vote. We thank you that regardless of the result we will be a nation at peace.

It is likely that there will be challenges for Christians in the next parliamentary term. Give wisdom to all Christian leaders and spokespersons. May they to speak both truth and show love, radiate grace and send out light.

Dear Father, we thank you that our times, both the measure of our years and the society in which we live, are in your hands. We thank you that at the centre of the universe, and surrounding all things is you heart of love, your justice, which last forever.

Please bring forward true human flourishing. We may not make sense of all that is in the world, which groans waiting to be made new. We know you, through your son who came into this our world and shared in its chaos and beauty.

Because of this we know that love is greater than fear, that justice ultimately prevails, faith outlasts despair and grace overcomes sin.

Help us to remember all of that in the cardboard box. Help us to do our best with the choices available. May we come out and know that you are our father and that as St Julian of Norwich put it, “all shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well”.

Amen.