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I received this from my daughter Wendy Wood, so let’s be clear this is not my work, this is her heartfelt prayer. Her voice should be heard:

Australia is a country in crisis right now… crippling drought and wild bushfires destroying everything in their path. And we want to blame someone, anyone really. Of course, the easiest person to blame is the prime minister, naturally all these bad things are his fault.

I’m not really sure how politics works, but I am sure that he does not get to just make decisions on his own — that would make us a dictatorship, not a democracy. Maybe we can blame the Greens, after all, they are the ones who want to protect our native vegetation by reducing clearing and burn-off operations… I don’t know, maybe we can blame the immigrants, or global warming, or old Joe next door, who cares, as long as someone wears the blame!

My head hurts with all the negativity around right now. It’s not just ordinary negativity but cruel, nasty negativity that goes beyond decency, that is being shared, fuelled by social media’s love of a great tragedy. But in the midst of it all, small rays of hope, of kindness and compassion shine through. People giving their all, their time, money, belongings, even their lives to help others in need. And I know there is hope yet for our country.

As I prayed tonight for an end to this nightmare, this verse came to me.

“If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
~ 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

As I consider this verse tonight, I’m struck by this command. It does not say, “If everybody” or even “If most people”, it says, “If MY people, which are called by MY name.”

We tend to get caught up in the apparent Godlessness of our country, thinking that the only way to see healing is for the whole country to turn to God, and yet this verse clearly states that we, God’s people, who are called by His name, need to humble ourselves and pray. I see so much pride, so much negativity. We, God’s people, need to turn from our wickedness. Be humble and PRAY.

We can have an impact. You may be only one person, but if you are God’s person, and you humble yourself and PRAY… He WILL hear from Heaven, He WILL forgive your sins and He WILL heal our land.

Prayer:
Oh Lord God, how great is Your mercy and Your love; how deep Your heart grieves for Your people in Australia. We come to You in humbleness, Your people, Your children, marked by You and called by Your name, into Your throne room to cry out for Your healing hand to be upon our land.

With boldness we ask You to please send the rain, dear Lord; may it pour out abundantly on our farmers and our firefighters, fill our tanks, our dams and our rivers once more. Bring healing to the hurting, peace to the troubled, and grace to the sinner.

May we cast aside our pride, our negativity and our nastiness to be, once more, the people You call us to be. We ask this in the precious name of our Lord Jesus. Amen!