World Needs
Our world needs prayer! There is a cry for mercy in the midst of the COVID pandemic that God would bring healing and that the virus would end. Our home church (Bray Park , QLD) and many other churches are teaching on the topic of prayer, calling people to a greater prayerfulness. There is a sense of the urgency of prayer. From the viruses, floods, and fires, to world unrest, economic instability, and political uncertainty -- our world needs prayer.
This sense that our world needs prayer is not restricted to churches, ministers, and followers of Jesus. Our world knows that our world needs prayer. We had my wife Jeannie's co-worker and her partner over for dinner this past weekend. They are seasoned musicians. While they are not church-goers, their number one song in their latest album is: "Take Me Down to Pray". Reflecting on the plight of the Australian draught, Rhonnie Tant sings over and over again, "Lord take me down to pray!" Yes, Lord take us down to pray for our world. Our world needs prayer!
So how do we pray for our world? How do we put into words the cries of our heart for the needs of the world? Well, when Jesus' disciples wanted to learn how to pray, they asked Jesus: "Lord, teach us to pray!" (Luke 11:1) And Jesus gave them a pattern of prayer, the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). In the Bible we have other models of prayer, for example: Ephesians 3:14-19; Colossians 1:9-12; Ephesians 1:17-19; 1 Chronicles 4:10. One way to learn how to pray is to read or listen to the prayers of others. These prayers of others can help put into words the cries of our own heart.
Here are some prayers for our world from the late Henri J.M. Nouwen (excerpts from his collection of prayers, A Cry for Mercy):
Dear Lord, you certainly chose vibrant, intense, passionate people to spread your word! Peter, impulsive, active, energetic, and very exuberant; Paul, sharp, committed, and possessing unusual stamina. They were also the founders of the young communities of Christians spread out from Jerusalem to Rome.
Peter denied you; Paul persecuted your followers; but with the passion with which they first said "No," they also said "Yes" after they had seen your face and heard your call.
You, 0 Lord, did not choose the lukewarm, the neutral, or the middle-of-the-road type. You called very outspoken people, able to experience ecstasy as well as depression. I thank you, Lord, for giving me this comforting understanding. Let me have the courage to live fully even when it is risky, vibrantly even when it leads to pain, and spontaneously even when it leads to mistakes. But let me live always for you, so that I can be molded by you into an instrument of your word.
0 Lord , you came to bring peace, to offer reconciliation , to heal the separation between people, and to show how it is possible for men and women to overcome their differences and to celebrate their unity. You revealed your Father as a Father of all people, a Father without resentments or desires for revenge, a Father who cares for each child with an infinite love and mercy and who does not hesitate to invite them to come home.
But our world today does not look like a world that knows your Father. Our nations are torn by chaos, hatred, violence, and war. In many places death rules. Many countries have not experienced peace for many years. Even in countries which are officially at peace, such as Spain, France, and the USA, violence is never absent. And our own country, is it not more warlike than peaceful?
0 Lord, do not forget the world into which you came to save your people; do not turn your back on your children who desire to live in harmony but who are constantly entangled in fear, anger, lust, violence, greed, suspicion, jealousy and hunger for power.
Bring your peace to this world, a peace we cannot make ourselves. Awaken the consciousness of all peoples and their leaders; raise up men and women full of love and generosity who can speak and act for peace, and show us new ways in which hatred can be left behind, wounds can be healed, and unity can be restored.
0 God, come to our assistance. 0 Lord, make haste to help us. Amen
May these prayers inspire you to put into words the cries of your own heart for our world For our world needs prayer!
About the author
Jack De Vries was hired on by the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia and began his work as Ministry Training Coordinator in January 2008. In 2012 this role shifted to that of Ministry Development Coach.
Jack came from Canada where he pastored three Christian Reformed churches: Alliston CRC, Alliston, Ontario(1983-87), a church plant: New Life Community Church, Pickering, Ontario(1987-95), and Bethel CRC, Listowel, Ontario (1995-2007). Jack is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity - 1983) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Doctor of Ministry - 2003) Jack and his wife Jeannie currently live in Petrie, a northern suburb of Brisbane in Queensland. They attend and are members of Bray Park Community Church. They have four adult children and seven grandchildren living in the USA and Canada.
In Isaiah 58:11 we read: "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Australia has seen times of drought and floods. There is another type of drought in Australia; there is a spiritual drought. But God promises to provide refreshing rain, a never ending supply of refreshing water. The water he provides will satisfy the needs of all Australians. As we take up the missional vision God has given us we extend the life changing invitation of Jesus: "Come! Whoever is thirsty, come, and take the free gift of the water of life!" (Revelation 22:17)
