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By David d'Lima
Dear friends, I invite you to use the following eight prayer points suitable for family devotions or church prayers ahead of Australia Day.
1. Almighty God and sovereign of the nations, we pray that the people of Australia will turn in faith to receive Christ as Saviour and Lord.
2. We pray for Queen Elizabeth, and for her representative the Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, and for the six State Governors as they supervise the civic system.
3. We pray for the High Court Chief Justice Susan Kiefel as she gives leadership to help the Court interpret the Constitution and the statutes of the nation.
4. Our Father, be with the Prime Minister Scott Morrison as he advises the Crown, chairs Federal Cabinet, supervises the ministry, and represents the Government.
5. Lord God, guide and bless the Members and Senators in the remaining several weeks of the 45th Federal Parliament. Be with Bill Shorten as he leads the Opposition to scrutinise Government.
6. We pray for General David Hurley as he prepares to take up duties as Australia’s 27th Governor-General.
7. Lord bless the work of the federal government as it provides a fathering project to run in schools, designed to help dads take greater responsibility.
8. We pray for citizenship candidates as they make their pledges of loyalty on Australia Day, that they would truly share Australia’s democratic beliefs, respect it rights and liberties, and obey its laws.
9. We pray the community will utilise Australia Day for the promotion of harmony that builds upon our indigenous, migrant and Christian heritage, as a means of securing a peace and prosperity for all.
10. As the Federal Parliament considers the competing demands of individual rights and the common good, we pray that the historic freedoms of faith, association, contract and speech would be preserved.
Finally, here are a few salient questions about the Australian Flag that may stimulate family discussion ahead of Australia Day.
1. How many Christian crosses are on the Australian flag?
2. How many stars are on the flag?
3. How many points are on the flag’s largest star?
4. Beginning with the letter “F” or “C”, what is the name of the largest star on the Australian Flag?
5. Why was that star enlarged by one point in 1908?
6. What was the name of the snake lifted up by Moses on a pole, prefiguring Christ on the cross? (See John 3:14-15; Numbers 21:8; 2 Kings 18:4).
7. On which two days each year should the flag be flown at half-mast?
8. Which of the United States of America features the Union Jack?
9. According to Number 2:1-2, each Israelite man was instructed to camp under which two vexillological emblems?
10. Centred around the Tent of Meeting, what shape was formed by the twelve tribes as they encamped, according to Numbers 2?
To further explore the Christian concepts underlying Australia’s Star-Crossed Federal Blue Banner, I encourage you to view a short article entitled “Flying the Australian Flag” and also to print copies of a worksheet that enables family members to work together cutting and assembling the deconstructed elements of the flag. The worksheet would also be an excellent children’s resource to use in services on the Australia Day long weekend.