(Offered at the Melbourne Prayer Breakfast, August 25, 2000)

[Introduction: Jan and I have just returned from a four-month sabbatical in the Western half of our beautiful country. Our last stop a couple of weeks ago was a visit to a friend in prison].

Lord of the earth and sea and sky Thank you for this wonderful wide brown land

And thank you for the leaders of our nation…

Lord of the church Thank you for loving the church, even though the church is still being redeemed…

Thank you for loved ones and friends who care for us, and for enemies who are sometimes the only ones to give us honest feedback about ourselves…

Thank you for work and leisure. Help us to honour you in our work and play – to work and play to live and not the other way around…

Thank you for the successes that encourage us, and the failures and troubles which, with the help of your healing Spirit and the encouragement of others can make us strong.

Thank you for those who obey the Scripture about ‘remembering those in prison, as though you were in prison with them’…

Thank you for your Word that comes to us through Scripture and through ancient and modern prophets. May we grow in love and faith and hope through your Living Word.

Thank you Lord that you love us before we change, as we change, or whether we change or not. You love prodigals and good people…

Thank you that you forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Thank you for the promise that if we humble ourselves and pray you will hear from heaven, forgive our [national] sins and heal our land…

Above all, thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ our Master, God with a human face. Thank you for his life and death and resurrection and his life in our lives…

And now as we eat, may the strength this food gives us strengthen us to honour you always;

Help us to remember the needs of others

And bless our conversations with each other.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord

Amen.

See notes from the Address by Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister.