If My People...

"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." ~2 Chronicles 7:14

Prayer is important.  It is vital.  It is communication with Almighty God, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Giver of Life.  Without prayer, we are trying to do things in our own strength, thinking that we have what it takes to do life on our own.  

Prayer changes things.  It moves mountains.  It moves God's heart.

I tend to be a political person when things of great importance come up.  Such is the case when I heard today that the Supreme Court of Canada ruled for prayer to no longer be allowed in city council meetings in a Quebec town, prompting Regina city council to suspend prayer as well. (see Global News article).  This is a very sad day for Canada.

I've seen in my own life how powerful prayer is.  From huge life changing moments like witnessing visible miracles, changed hearts, cancer battles won, and major heart attacks leaving no evidence behind; to smaller everyday things like healed headaches, peace when writing exams, being guarded from car accidents, the list goes on.  I've seen too many answers to prayers to believe otherwise...prayer is essential because it is communication with God the Father.

It breaks me to hear that just as prayer was taken out of schools years ago, that the Supreme Court is now trying to rule to take it out of city councils...the very place where decisions are made for each city and town in the country.  This is serious.

However, God is not limited to only hearing the prayers of those in leadership.  God desires to hear our prayers.  Every single one of us.  In 2 Chronicles it says "If my people, who are called by my name..."  That's you.  That's me.  We are called to pray.  We are called to lift up leadership, especially in moments like this.  God listens to our prayers...and when WE pray, He HEARS, and He HEALS, and He RESTORES, and He will do the IMPOSSIBLE.  When we pray.

I had a conversation a couple weeks ago with some friends surrounding federal politics.  A sentence popped out of my mouth, and it hit me hard.  I told them we need to pray for those leading our country (and province, and municipality) more than we do.  They need us to lift them before God.  They need us to pray that they will make right and godly decisions.  

I encourage each one of us to take up the challenge.  I encourage us to rally around our politicians and around the judges in our country.  I encourage us to pray for them.  We may not have the power to stand up as a Supreme Court judge to vote to keep prayer in our city councils, but we can pray that they have the courage to do so.  And believe me, when we pray and take initiative, incredible things happen!!  We saw that in January and again in March when Regina city council voted against a strip club, which then led to the province reversing a law so that alcohol is no longer legal to serve in strip clubs in the province.  God is good!!!!  

So, please commit to praying with me for those with significant leadership in our country.  Prayer can move mountains, so let's see God move some mountains in Canada!!!