Praying for Australia- Mike Flynn (Vicar)
It is hard to lead public prayer for our country around Australia Day. Outrage marks our public debate but the truth is none of us can live at the extremes of either overstated pride or earned shame. Where we can live is in the shadow of the cross of Jesus. His example of humility and the life changing atonement of his sacrificial death are the way forward for us as individuals and as a country.
There is good to celebrate in our country as well as evil to own up to and reject. In the end that is how any of us mature. Then humbled, perhaps we will see well enough to be useful to the indigenous people of our land, the environment God gives us and become more the people we are called to be.
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For our country.
We are thankful for this Nation – thankful that we enjoy the hard work, wisdom and sacrifice of many who have gone before us. Those who built a unique and unlikely nation.
Though we squabble about what it means to be Australian we thank you for an open society where debated and tested law matters. Thank you that we are not subjects of tyranny but forgive us that we have subjected the indigenous people of this land to tyrannies none should bear.
Thank you for a tough but tolerant society – though we see our diversity fray at the edges we thank you that we see far more often people of many backgrounds making new lives here.
Thank you that we are still a society that rewards effort and acknowledges accomplishment more than hereditary or privilege or naked wealth and power.
Thank you that the people of this country still carry a concern for justice and fairness and want to care for those who struggle. Thank you that we still see the need for honesty, that we look for integrity and we are still outraged by corruption.
Please do not let our nation let go of these gifts. Habits that have been long formed in us by the gospel of Jesus.
Please don’t let our wealth make us greedy, instead let it make us unusually generous. Please don’t let our self concern make us an inward and harsh people, help us instead to be discerning and generous, tough and merciful, productive, creative and kind.
Like many nations ours too was born in pain, injustice and bloodshed. We are deeply distressed that indigenous peoples have been so abused, displaced, dispossessed, murdered and persecuted. We are distressed how the worst things in our mainstream culture can be distilled into the lives of many of our indigenous brothers and sisters.
Please set us all free from the worst that we can be, through the power of Christ’s spirit. Help our policies and personalities to limit rather than to create damage among the vulnerable and wayward.
Give us truth, justice and humility in our leadership. Raise up leaders who can not merely manage finances, projects and politics well but who can listen deeply to all vulnerable people in this land. Give them extraordinary wisdom to understand how to create freedom from a balance of openness and restraint. Please strengthen the indigenous people of this nation with the spirit of the creator: the spirit of the ancient of days and the Son of Man, Jesus.
We pray for our country in this time of drought, fire and climate change. As temperatures and sea levels rise – the machines that have eased our toil and created great wealth and opportunity are creating new problems.
We pray for the ability to live modestly and for the spiritual strength of contentment to spread. We ask for a quieting of the global economy as we seek new solutions to deal with our waste and learn how to develop less polluting energy sources.
At this time, please give our emergency services safety and wisdom. Keep them safe as they risk so much in the service of others.
Please send rain upon this wide brown land. Upon the just and the unjust because you are a merciful God.
We pray for the church in this nation, please renew and revive us with the water of your word, raise up people who can teach, live and pray your word well. Pour out your spirit upon many so they can be drawn to you Father, through your Son Jesus.
Give every member of your church the desire to grow in holiness, prayer and obedience and to walk in humility with Christ each day. Reform and change us – and so use us to reform and change this nation.
As Australians we do not ask for greatness, we ask for grace. We do not ask to be stronger than others, we ask for forgiveness and strength to reform the worst versions of ourselves. We do not ask for wealth to squander and waste but we ask for the wisdom to build, heal and provide.
We pray for our country in this time of drought, fire and climate change. As temperatures and sea levels rise – the machines that have eased our toil and created great wealth and opportunity are creating new problems.
We pray for the ability to live modestly and for the spiritual strength of contentment to spread. We ask for a quieting of the global economy as we seek new solutions to deal with our waste and learn how to develop less polluting energy sources.
At this time, please give our emergency services safety and wisdom. Keep them safe as they risk so much in the service of others.
Please send rain upon this wide brown land. Upon the just and the unjust because you are a merciful God.
We pray for the church in this nation, please renew and revive us with the water of your word, raise up people who can teach, live and pray your word well. Pour out your spirit upon many so they can be drawn to you Father, through your Son Jesus.
Give every member of your church the desire to grow in holiness, prayer and obedience and to walk in humility with Christ each day. Reform and change us – and so use us to reform and change this nation.
As Australians we do not ask for greatness, we ask for grace. We do not ask to be stronger than others, we ask for forgiveness and strength to reform the worst versions of ourselves. We do not ask for wealth to squander and waste but we ask for the wisdom to build, heal and provide.
Until Jesus returns let his good news be lived out in the laws and hearts of all in Australia.
Amen.