There are severe weather and tornado warnings in our capital city region this Canada Day.

Windy gusts rustle through the maple leaves on tree and flag alike to test endurance and seem to invite us as servant leaders to consider the state of health in our own stems of trust and faith should storms in life and ministry pass by.  Are we letting him hold us or are we trying to hold on in our own strength?  Are we holding on to things we must release and releasing things we really must secure, upside down from how it needs to be?

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‘Lord, being aware of the greater context in which we serve the sometimes unnerving grace of the gospel of reconciliation to divided communities, to rival ideologies, to diverse beliefs and worldviews, to separated people, we pray for peace, asking you to detect what needs to change in us to contribute to the stilling of the storm.  

~~  silence  ~~

Comparing the effects of grateful faith where Christ serves us and we serve him by serving ‘the least of these’ with the failing efforts of shifting man-made laws spawning disconnect with the sanctity of life, we pray for release from unchecked rejection of the transforming work of healing love responsive to the Word through humble confession before you. 

~~  silence  ~~

To daringly deflect prevalent views concerning moral decay; to courageously correct directions inconsistent with a longer view to mend the world through freedom to be fully free in Christ; to tenaciously object to all which fails to restore our collective sanity residing in the goodness of the living God, we pray for strength to protect expectancy that nothing is too difficult for you no matter how buffeted we may feel.  

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Dear servant leaders, as those who suspect the subjects of interest to many in this generation so disrespect the beauty of humanity in the perfected state we see in Jesus, and so degrade the gift of life we have been given that we will fall from within without a turning, we leave no leaf unturned to expose the veins and trains of thought which blow us from our roots and threaten to carry us in winds of no return.  There are things which need to go which only strong winds can blow away … and things which need to stay.  May he be the righteous and merciful judge bringing health in Christ as he blows through our lives.

“If my people, who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

‘Where we leave behind the truth of who we are in the light of who God is …. 

Where we leave God out of the search for true wisdom …

Where we take leave of our senses and fall for lies … 

Where we leave off Spirit led introspection … 

Where we leave no room for love …

forgive us, we pray.

Spirit of God, fall upon us now as we humbly seek your face and turn away from that which tugs and pulls us away from you.    

Where we fall upon your grace …

Where we fall apart, repentant in our need … 

Where we fall into a deep desire to serve with open arms …

Where we fall headlong into fresh expressions of your great salvation, in love with you … 

Where we fall and falter still but know you pick us up renewed in body, mind and soul … 

for every sincere cry to you, give peace.  

Spirit of God, see hearts across each land who faithfully serve where you have landed us to serve in love.  Leave us hungering for more of you to fill the void where we leave off and you begin to breathe new life in Christ, whether sea to sea to sea of Canada’s rugged coast in the celebrations of its birth this day, or land to land to land where knees are bent to see the depth of seeping glory where the gospel touches lives and promises to make all things new. 

Selection of this storm fraught stance may land some blows from hardened hearts and leave us feeling low when caught in heavy clouds of unpredictability.  Cause each hurting one who serves in your name to remember it is in lowly hearts where fallen pride resides no more that you can leave the greatest imprint of your kind mercy and unending love for justice to become co-healers with you by the way we humbly pray and work in the lands we live.  

In the Spirit’s power to heal our lands, we turn over a new leaf today revitalized by the word of love you have left us in the gospel of your Son and cling to you. 

Blow, Spirit, blow.  Amen.’

 

Happy Canada Day to friends across this land as we stand together in prayers for true peace here and around the world.  And, at this mid point in the year across the world, may the breezes of confession and commitment to be servants of his gospel grace be stirred to turn us back again to Christ in the full force of submission to his love at every turn.

Peace of Christ to you.