Portage Has a Prayer!

Over 170 countries celebrate the World Day of Prayer the first Friday in March. Whether or not prayer is a habit for you, I encourage you to pray for someone today. Here is my prayer for our little corner of the planet. Feel free to use it or add to it. I won’t mind and I’m pretty sure God won’t either.

Lord God, hear my prayer.

I get to work in this lovely old castle!

     I lift up to you the City of Portage la Prairie and its people. I pray for its Mayor and Council, that you grant them wisdom, courage and unity. Show them how to make the best decisions, with limited resources, for the people they represent.

     I pray for the many business men and women in our town. May they be people of integrity whom others can hold up as an example. Bless them with success and guide them in all their dealings with customers and employees alike.

     For those in our Department of National Defense and for every civil servant: bless them with joy in their work and a firm conviction that what they do matters.

     Bless our teachers. Grant them the patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon, and the humour of Jim Carey. Show them, in tangible ways, how enormous their investment in the future is.

     For the clergy of Portage and surrounding communities, I ask you to multiply their efforts a thousand-fold. Help them in times of discouragement to know their work is not in vain. Protect their families and grant them rest.

     Protect our law enforcement, I pray. Thank you for the commitment of these servants who no doubt endure extreme frustration at times. Help them do their work well.

     For all our health care workers, I thank you. Give them keen instincts to diagnose, to treat, and to provide care with compassion.

     Thank you, Lord, for our firefighters and the work they do. Keep their pumpers pumping and their fire engines humming. Protect their lungs in a supernatural way.

     I pray for our new immigrants. Help them to adapt to our severe climate, our difficult language, and our crazy Canadian ways. May they find in Portage la Prairie warmth, welcome, safety, and a place to truly call home.

     For every volunteer in every sport, every church, every school, every organization. Bless them! Take the good they do and create ripples throughout our country and world.

     For those who are ill, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally: bring healing and comfort, I pray.

     Bless the youth of Portage, Lord. May each child and teen know at least one adult who faithfully speaks truth into their life and helps them see their amazing potential. Protect them from the pull of evil. Satisfy their thirst for belonging -- not with gangs, but with genuine family.

     Lastly, I pray for every parent, for they do the most important job of all. Fill their hearts with love, their minds with wisdom, their bodies with energy, and their homes with peace. May they put their children’s needs above their own and draw their strength from You.

     Amen.

 “If my people, who are called by my name, will 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.” II Chronicles 7:14

My Prayer for Canada

This past year I had the privilege of serving on the editorial advisory board for a Chicken Soup for the Soul book coming out in November called Oh, Canada! The book is a collection of stories either by or about Canadians or about others' experiences in our country. I got to read and give a score to 135 stories (one of which was mine - I shamelessly gave it top score.) The publishers will average the scores and whittle the book down to 101 stories for the final book.

     It made me proud and grateful to read these uplifting stories and to see our country through the eyes of others. I grew more appreciative of all we take for granted, and felt inspired to pray for Canada and its leaders. But when I thought about what sort of prayer I would pray, I soon realized the best prayer has already been written for us.

     So, my fellow Canadians, I put before you a challenge this Canada Day. I want you to enjoy the holiday with all your heart, the hamburgers on the grill, the watermelon, the lawn chairs, the sunscreen, the bug spray, the flag waving, and the fireworks. Wear red and white and celebrate loud with gratitude for all that is ours. But that's not my challenge. That should all come naturally.

     Here's my challenge. When you hear (or better yet, sing) O Canada, will you remember that it is one of the few national anthems in the world written as a prayer? The first verse, the one we all know by heart, is not as obvious until you reach the "God, keep our land glorious and free" part. But are you familiar with verse four?

"Ruler Supreme, who hearest humble prayer,

Hold our dominion in thy loving care.

Help us to find, O God, in Thee

A lasting, rich reward;

As waiting for the better day

We ever stand on guard..."

Here is the English translation of the French version:

Oh Canada! Land of our forefathers

Thy brow is wreathed with a glorious garland of flowers.

As in thy arm, ready to wield the sword

So also is it ready to carry the cross.

Thy history is an epic of the most brilliant exploits

Thy valour, steeped in faith,

Will protect our homes and our rights.

O Canada in both official languages gives testimony to our rich spiritual heritage. I am saddened that too often we forget our roots. We have been given so much, the best of natural resources and freedoms others can only dream of. We remember the valour that bought us this freedom, but we ignore the "steeped in faith" part. Yet etched in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill are three verses from the Bible, one of which says "He shall have dominion from sea to sea." (Psalm 72:8)

     I can think of no more appropriate prayer this Canada Day than that. "God, have dominion from sea to sea."