God help us

BY NADINE WILSON Observer staff reporter wilsonn@jamaicaobserver.com

Thursday, January 07, 2010

PRIME Minister Bruce Golding has called on local Christians to pray for the nation and for God's direction, saying divine intervention is needed to overcome the current crisis.

Golding made the call at yesterday's fifth staging of the 'Heal the Family, Heal the Nation' convention at the National Arena in Kingston.

"There are times when many will question what we as a Government do; many will wonder, many will even challenge. I have never claimed to be perfect. I am a public servant, not a perfect servant and I do need the wisdom and the guidance of the Almighty," said Golding, who referred to the large gathering as the "fountain of hope".

He asked them to pray for God's intervention.

"Therefore I ask you today, not even to be understanding of the difficulties that I grapple with every day... what I really want to ask you to do -- because I know where my capabilities begin and where they fall short -- I want to ask that you pray, not so much for me, but... for God's intervention," he said.

The prime minister said that like Moses, he has never lost faith in what he has to do and assured the gathering that he would always put his trust in God, despite the challenges.

"The battering that we have had from the economic crisis, (the) battering that we have had from crises of our own creation, they may be beyond my own power, they may well be well beyond your own power, but they are not beyond the capability of the power of the one to whom we send our prayers," he assured.

Meanwhile, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen said that despite the challenges ahead, there was a lot to give God thanks for.

"Take the blessings of the past year into the new year and stop being pessimistic; stop being downcast; stop being fearful and fretful, because he who takes care of the sparrow, he will take care of you," he said.

He lauded the unity of the churches across the island in successfully staging the event, which saw people gathering at the arena from as early as 5:00 am to pray and collect their bottle of free consecrated olive oil, which was being distributed by the organisers.

"When the church is united, the nation will also be united because we are connected with the nation in every nook and cranny," he said.

The 'Heal the Family, Heal the Nation' convention, which is sponsored annually by the Power of Faith Ministries (PFM) in Portmore, St Catherine, was fully endorsed by the six umbrella church groups in Jamaica that represent 95 per cent of the church community in the country. All the heads of the umbrella groups were also given an opportunity to address the gathering yesterday.

Head of the PFM ministries and chief co-ordinator of the event, Bishop Delford Davis, said he was hoping that the meeting would result in a change for the better in the nation.

"I believe even the state of the economy will be positively affected when people's lives are turned to God, because they will become more peaceful, law-abiding and productive citizens, so the benefits are unlimited," he said, while referring to Joel chapter two, which spoke about the blessings that followed people after they prayed, fasted and repented unto God.