May 5, 2016 - Along the Way ...

As proclaimed by President Obama, today is the National Day of Prayer.  But what does that mean?

Prayer is an expression of our dependence on God, our Creator.   Today, we acknowledge His hand of care and protection over our nation and this world.  Today we give thanks for all God has done, is doing, and will continue to do.  Today, we humbly bow and ask God to heal our land in every possible meaning of that term.

The church that I serve has a document called, "Our World Belongs to God".   It is a contemporary testimony of our faith and trust and hope that God is ultimately in control, and because God is good we are assured that God has good plans for this, His (not our) world.

There is a song that I have been singing over the past month or so.  It has become my heart song as I have traveled, lived, move, and found God at work along the Way.  The song is true, and can be sung anywhere; in any city, in any nation, among all people.  The song is a prayer, expressing our hope and faith that God has greater things in store for this world; greater things than we can now fathom or even imagine.

The song is "God of this City" by Bluetree.  The song was written by a band from Ireland in a city in Thailand, which testifies to its universal application.

Here are the lyrics - it begins with praise and moves to petition - as we look to God as our greatest and really our only hope.

"You're the God of this city.

You're the King of these people.

You're the Lord of this nation.

You are.

You're the light in this darkness,

You're the hope to the hopeless,

You're the peace to the restless,

You are.

There is no one like our God.

There is no one like our God.

Greater things have yet to come,

and greater things are still to be done in this city."

So on this National Day of Prayer, I invite everyone to make this our prayer together.  We really do need God.  He is our creator, the redeemer of all things, and He is only hope.   So let us make this our prayer not just today, but always, as we journey together in hope ... along the Way!

"Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, 

whose hope is in the LORD his God,

the Maker of heaven and earth,

the sea and everything in them -

the LORD, who remains faithful forever."

(Psalm 146:5-6)