In this time of national disaster, it’s very important that we pray for the many people who serve us in our emergency services and other associated organisations. To help you pray, here is the prayer I wrote for our Tuesday ‘Bushfire Emergency Prayer Service’:

Heavenly Father, we bring before you the many people who lead and serve in our emergency services, and ask that you would protect and strengthen them in this time of crisis.

We pray for the members of the Ambulance service, who render help to firefighters and victims, and for the health and medical staff who provide first aid and long-term care.

We pray for the volunteers in the Rural Fire Service, who continue to battle tirelessly and sacrificially, and for Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, who with his team, has showed such leadership in keeping everyone informed and safe, as he manages this disaster.

We pray for the police force, and their assistance in helping evacuate and direct traffic and respond to incidents, as well as maintain law and order in this challenging time.

We pray for the defence force, who have supported all agencies from air, land and sea in many roles and capabilities.

We pray for NSW Fire and Rescue, who battle to protect and save people, animals and buildings, and for their executive management team and incident controllers.

We pray for those in the National Parks and Wildlife Service who help care for animals and assist with fighting fires.

We pray for the SES workers who restore safety to communities and clear hazardous debris.

We pray for the forestry corporation, fighting fires and managing millions of hectares of state forest.

We pray for the many people who have pushed for donations and have given time, equipment and money to assist those in need.

We pray for the many people who work behind the scenes in communication centres, who have the difficult job of determining where valuable resources need to go.

We pray for the people who update apps, warning and Facebook pages, and for the people in the media, who together work to keep information coming in times of need.

We thank you for the service of all who have travelled afar from interstate and from Canada, the USA, New Zealand, to assist us in this time of disaster.

We pray also for our Prime Minister, our Premier, our Mayor, and for all those who serve with them at this time, as they make important decisions to coordinate the firefighting and relief efforts.

And we also pray for the family and friends of all firefighters who have to say ‘farewell’ with fear and pride to a loved one, and hold down the fort while they are gone.

We pray for protection and strength for all who lead and serve us in this bushfire emergency.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: ‘Highway Patrol Images’ via Flickr.com)

Whilst New Year’s Day is just the same as any of the other 365 days of the year, there is something cleansing and healing about starting afresh on ‘Day One’.

It gives us a chance to try and begin a new, good habit, or maybe try and stop an old, bad habit.

As we start the new year, we can forgive ourselves for unhealthy and unwise living, and permit ourselves to wipe the slate clean in our frequently-failed attempts at doing life ‘right’.

When Jesus spoke to a man called Nicodemus, he offered the man a fresh start when he invited him to be ‘born again’.

We’ve heard that expression so many times that we don’t notice how strange and odd it is for a fully-grown person to experience the journey of a brand-newborn child.

So he said to Jesus, “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” (John 3:4)

Jesus replied by explaining how it is possible to have this fresh start in life, and then he shared with Nicodemus the Bible’s most famous verse:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Eternal life comes from being born again, and the way to be born again is to believe in Jesus who died for us.

If you want a true, fresh start in 2020, then say “sorry” to Jesus for rejecting him, and turn to him and tell him you trust him as your king.

Because whether or not you eat less sugar or walk more steps, the most important New Year’s Resolution for every person is to be born again.

Is it time for you to have a genuine, fresh start?

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: John Mayer via Flickr)