A week ago today one of our pray-ers arrived at morning worship with a bud vase, a single white lily with barely any stem behind its head and a story of rescue and restoration…
When she had unwrapped the cellophane from round a bunch of stems, the bud of this flower had fallen off; cut off from the source of support and nutrition it needed to flower.
But despite having no soil and no stem, taken up by her and transplanted into water, it had flowered as fully as it had always been created to do.
She had not known what our focus for prayer would be that morning.
Our nation for that day was the Central African Republic and we had decided to spend the main morning time – as well as end of day prayer – focusing on this nation, and especially on its children.
As we prayed, another pray-er placed the lily we had talked about at the start of worship onto our map floor as a picture of how God was leading us to pray that day…
Despite the fact that this nation has been dislodged from the good path intended for it – and many of its children cut off from the childhood they should have experienced – it felt as if God was making a promise. This country – and these children – can still bloom as fully as intended if they are re-planted in him… the living water.
Please keep praying with us for The Central African Republic – it is much on our hearts but rarely in the news… even though on the 5 May there was an incredible breakthrough announced following reconciliation talks where militia leaders promised to release all the children they were holding as child soldiers, cooks and messengers…
As UNICEF have said, this promise is not enough. It must become reality – and the young people must be released into safety and rehabilitated fully.
But it is a beginning of a softening and we are praying both for it to become reality – and for it to lead to more forgiveness, reconciliation, peace and transformation for this precious nation and its invaluable people.
Please God, let all your children in CAR bloom as fully as you created them to. Take this nation in your hands and tenderly replant it in your living water that it might finally unfold, rest and shine.
Tearfund are still running an emergency appeal for this nation if you would like to give as well as pray.