“The Church has no option but to plunge itself into the very centre of global events. God’s love demands it.” [Joel Edwards, International Director of Micah Challenge]

With only five years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve one of the greatest promises ever made, 189 world leaders gathered just under a month ago at the UN Millennium Development Goals Summit, to assess progress on alleviating global poverty.

There have been some steps forward since 2000, when our world leaders first came together in a commitment to halve world poverty. Some countries, such as Vietnam and Ghana, have done particularly well in improving the lives of the poor.

However, many aspects of poverty have seen very little improvement: the number of hungry people has risen to over 1 billion; the number of women who die whilst giving birth is shockingly high; and too many people are living without access to improved sanitation. It was with this in mind that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an acceleration of progress towards achieving the MDGs this year.

And the outcome of the Summit this September? All in all it was disappointing. While many countries did renew commitments to work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, no bold, breakthrough plans were made to show how the goals will actually be achieved. We need our world leaders to do a lot more if they are to keep their promise to halve global poverty by 2015.

So will those in power ever commit wholeheartedly to the poorest of our world? Will we (any of us) ever completely let go of all selfish ambition and prioritise those trapped in poverty, as God has required? Off our own steam, my guess is unlikely. But what if we, the Church set ourselves aside to pray, to really seek after God’s heart for the poor and oppressed? Imagine what could happen if the world united through prayer and committed to act for a world free of injustice? Perhaps, then, the story might end very differently.

If we, for a moment, allow ourselves to believe that change is possible, we might find that we also have the opportunity to become agents for that change ourselves. In the process of listening or talking to God, we are changed and made more able to serve him. The commitments made by our world leaders should be for us, a call to act. To stand up. To speak out. As Jason Fileta, director of Micah Challenge USA, posted in a recent blog: "UN leaders hear us roar!"

On 10th October (10.10.10) Micah Challenge, a global coalition of Christians holding governments to account for their promise to halve extreme poverty by 2015, is calling millions of Christians all over the world to stand united in prayer and promise for those living in poverty. A united cry that change is possible. Perhaps if we allow our hearts and minds to be transformed through prayer, we would receive the hope and strength we need to work for a world free of all injustice.
Will you pray with millions on 10.10.10? Click here to download the 10.10.10 global prayer.

The story could still end differently.

As part of Micah Challenge UK’s campaign, What’s Your Promise?, you have the chance to make a unique promise to remember those in poverty. Your promise will then be taken to your local MP, who will be asked to make a promise of his own.

As the new government sets out its priorities for the next five years, the promises you make will show how strongly people in their area feel about global justice, and inspire them to commit to remember those in poverty themselves.

Make your promise here!