Monthly Archives: March 2016

A Prayer for Ireland

In June 2008 the Lord led me pray through the 33rd chapter of Jeremiah for the area in which I live.  As I read this chapter, which is full of hope and restoration, I began to declare the promises for my home, my town and my region.  Through these declarations of hope, I wrote the below prayer.

Over the next several months my job took me through small towns and large cities all across Ireland and I prayed this prayer during my journeys.  This prayer has now been prayed in all 32 counties of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  After sharing this prayer with others I have been informed that a church in Canada has used the prayer in their intercession for Ireland.  I have also learned that the prayer has been used in a local civic (non religious) ceremony which honoured fallen Irish immigrants.

I pray that you sense the promises of God for your region that are put forward in Jeremiah 33.

Prayer for Ireland

God, we thank you for creating the nation of Ireland.

We bless you for the characteristics you have given us as a people…

We thank you for giving us the gifts of creativity and musicianship; literature and lyrics; drama and theatre; craftsmanship and artistry; inventiveness and entrepreneurship.

We thank you for making us a people who work for justice; who are quick to give generously, eager to show compassion and stand up for those who are unfairly treated.

We thank you for giving us an ability to laugh and not take ourselves too seriously.

… and we embrace these as a reflection of your nature.

We thank you for the heritage we received from our Irish ancestors: Columba, Kevin, Brendan, Colmcill, Brigid, Aidan and Patrick and others in more recent history. We ask that you give us passion to change the course of history through the spreading of your Gospel the way these people did.

We thank you for the faithfulness of those who paved the way for us to walk in the Freedom of Your Spirit and we commit ourselves to carrying Your Truth to the generations that come after us.

We ask for you to overwhelm us with prosperity and security. We ask for inventions that create new industries and new jobs. We ask for wisdom for the government; integrity for commercial leaders; stewardship from the financial institutions; legislation that honours the population and solutions that offer hope to those in difficulty. We pray for a society that is shaped by the culture of the Kingdom of God.

We thank you for bringing health and healing to Dublin and all the cities of Ireland. We ask for a corporate anointing on the Church in this land, that this nation would be a beacon of supernatural ministry so all those across Europe who are afflicted in body, mind or spirit would come to experience Your Presence and receive wholeness and healing.

We prophetically call forth those who will pastor, nurture, lead and mentor. We ask that you raise up spiritual mothers and fathers who will equip and mentor a generation of revivalists. We pray that Ireland would have a united Church operating under your Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists; and that we would pursue your mandate to make disciples of all nations.

We ask for an expansion of the dreams you’ve put in our hearts and we ask for courage to pursue them. We believe that you are a good Father and that you have given us every good thing. We receive your promise that we will be filled with the whole measure of the fullness of God.

We invite you to speak through us your words of compassion, truth and love.

We invite you to demonstrate through us your miracles, mercy and faith.

We invite you to live through us your grace, generosity and hope.

We offer ourselves to you fully and completely and pray that this city and this nation will be a dwelling place for your tangible, manifest presence. And we declare that in the streets of this nation the voices of Your Bride will say:

“God is good and His love endures forever.”

Amen

Compelled to Explore

I’ve often wondered what went through the minds of those who were explorers: David Livingstone, Ernest Shackleton, Lewis & Clark.

What was it like for them to plan their trip, predict the necessary supplies and embark on their journey not knowing what they would encounter?  Or what was it like for them to set off each morning not knowing what would be on the other side of the mountain?  What influenced their decision to cut a path through the forest or follow a river downstream?  More importantly what was the inner drive that motivated them to undertake what most people would have considered a foolish endeavour?

There are times I identify with these explorers.  Sometimes, I can feel their sense of adventure and excitement.  Other times, I imagine their apprehension.  But, most often, I relate to what I think drove them in their relentless pursuit of discovery.

Deep inside I have a conviction that there is more – a tangible ‘more’ that taps into the abundance of life Jesus promised.  This awareness of what God has made available drives me, compels me, pulls me to pursue him.  The irony is, I know this destination exceeds what I can imagine yet I have a clear, spirit-shaped sense of what it looks like.

With a confidence from the little I’ve experienced, I can almost see the blue-print and set out a faint shape of what the ‘more’ looks like.  But because the destination is, as yet, unseen I often feel my search requires laboriously cutting through vines and thick under-brush in the manner of the early explorers.

Undeterred by the struggle, the hunger in my spirit drives me on. It awakens my senses and I clear a path toward him.  I smell the fragrance of his presence; feel the gentle breeze of his whisper; hear the stillness of his voice and recall the goodness I have tasted; so I pursue.

Most have put down roots in the long-cleared settlements. Having no desire to explore seeming uncharted areas, their voices rise in my direction, “There’s nothing more to be discovered”, “Why put yourself at risk?”, “But we’ve formed a settlement that’s big enough for everyone”.   Yet I am not satisfied.  There must be more.

I have already made mistakes, taken wrong turns and wrestled with the questions of returning to the settlement.  But my inner longing fuels the compulsion to search, to forge ahead, to risk. There must be more.  I know there is more.  I must have more.

 

I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.