Thursday, August 11, 2005
A prayer on the 40th National Day
Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank you for leading Singapore to reach 40 years old. 40 is a special number in the History You have written in the Bible. Your Son was in the wilderness for 40 days before He started His ministry. He spent 40 days on earth before His ascension. Moses, your servant, was trained as a shepherd for 40 years before he leads the Jewish people. He led the people for 40 years.
As Singapore becomes 40 years old, I want to thank you for giving us more years of peace than pain. We have more years of prosperity than poverty. We have pure and clean governance, and not greedy and corrupted government. We have harmony and not hatred amongst the people. We had crisis but we went through it as one people. We are a little red dot but we are significant. Help us to be humble and remember that it is not by sheer human strength or luck but by your gracious provision that we have what we have today. Lest we get proud and fall like those nations you named in your Ancient Book.
I pray that as we face a world that is changing and more challenging, we will stand firm in our principle of being clean, pure and upholding of good virtues. Even as we sin against you by promoting greed in opening casino, we pray, in your mercy, limit the damages in our society and families. We pray that the church here will be your salt and light, to help people who are addicted and in bondage.
I remember the poor too. They are forgotten easily. I pray that we must never forget them. Help us to help them wisely. We will continue to remember too the aged one. They built the foundation we have today. We want to be grateful and to serve them back. Our children and youth will be tomorrow's leaders and workers. May we know how to guide them to live according to the right values. Help us to model a value-led lives so that they too may know how to when their turn comes.
I pray for the church here, that we be loyal to you calling, to pray for our leaders, that they may lead the country wisely. We will uphold your teaching and be salt and light. May we continues to remember that our country is our parish.
Lord, thank you for the 40 years. I commit the next 40 years into your hands. Amen
tse horng blogged at 3:10 AM
