Father God,

I come to lift up my voice to join with others who are crying out for rain.  The land is parched. Fires are gobbling it up, leaving behind devastation and barren, charred remains.  Toxic smoke chokes out life. It burns our eyes and claws our throats. The trees cry out for rescue from the destruction. The rivers are dry.  The mountains are being consumed like kindling.

 Oh God, please send rain. 

The fires are spreading wildly.  Our firefighters are risking their lives to stop them.  Protect them.  Guide their work.  Give them wisdom and strategy.  Bring them home to their families for the holidays.

Open the sky and pour out life giving water. Stir up the clouds to overflowing. Hold back the wind and the heat until the fires are extinguished.  I pray for the law enforcement officials trying to catch those setting the fires.  Give them leads.  Help the to find the perpetrators and to stop them.  Snuff out the sparks that blow and become flames.

I pray the lakes and ponds will hold water for use in the fight.  That the pilots of the helicopters would be able to continue their surveillance and their critical role in dousing the flames.  Give all who are fighting the fires the energy to continue on.

But most of all I ask for rain, a long, steady, heavy rain that saturates the ground.  That goes deep into the earth to snuff out even the coals buried in the ashes. That seeps into every crevasse, every valley, every dry creek bed.  I pray for rolling water that bubbles up from the underground springs and irrigates the valleys, returning life and breath to the land.

Selah

Lord, I am also aware of the spiritual parallels between the fires in our mountains, and the flames of anger ravishing our country.  There is turmoil, and devastation leaving pain in its wake.  The divide is growing like wildfire.

Holy Spirit, please reign down.

Cover us. Snuff out the flames with your peace. You are the comforter, please comfort us now.  I pray for protection of those trying to bring calm into the tumultuous times.  Guide their work.  Give them wisdom and strategy.  Bring all those in the streets home for the holidays.

Pour out your life giving unity.  Open minds and hearts as only you can do.  Stir up compassion and empathy to overflowing.  Hold back the continued sparks and the wind of words that blow on them.  Heal the hate that flows out, and replace it with forgiveness.  I pray the living water of life would flow out from your people, and that the counterfeits and Pharisees would be silent. I ask that those starting the fires with their words would be stopped.  That the sparks would be doused and that hearts would be softened.

Most of all I ask for a long, steady reign. That saturates our land and goes deep into the fabric of our country.  So that even the bitter roots would be pulled out and resentment would dissipate, disappearing into the healing peace that flows down from your reign. I pray your blanket of reconciliation would seep into every city and town, every highway and byway.  I pray for joy to bubble up and flow out returning life and hope to our land.  I pray that we would not listen to the political voices, or the religious ones, or even our own wounded  angry ones…but that we would hear only your voice.  The voice who quenches fires and speaks a balm over all of creation.  Help us to hear, and to receive your healing.  Please soak us with your love oh, God.

I pray in the name of Jesus, who has rescued me from my own self-inflicted fires more times than I can count.

Amen.