Well, what a couple of weeks it has been! Some painful lows and some wonderful highs! All topped off yesterday with the joy of welcoming a number of people into God’s wonderful family…
It sometimes amazes me how God seems to own our calendars. I can’t think of a more appropriate time to gather the church to pray than this week after all that has been happening!
Richard C Trench once said: “Prayer is not getting man’s will done in heaven, but getting God’s will done on earth. It is not overcoming God’s reluctance but laying hold of God’s willingness.”
Over these past few weeks, in the midst of real sorrow and pain, we have heard God’s voice so clearly making promises to us and encouraging us. My sense has been that as the battle has raged so God has made Himself more visible, working and speaking among us. I feel a real sense of anticipation at what God is doing. God is willing!
Last week, before I flew out from Fredericton, Gary Gallant had a picture of people with tattoos coming to Jesus in this season. Well, yesterday was the first fruit of that prophetic word. And last Sunday evening Kate Makaroff had a couple of very encouraging dreams, God calling us to run a race together as a church family, and encouraging us at how well we’re doing.
I’m so looking forward to us being together in God’s presence this week. I feel the importance of us drawing near to God as a family in this season, worshipping Him and giving time and space to hear from Him.
We’ll gather together to pray in the evenings, but don’t just wait till the evenings to pray, set some time aside each day this week – maybe before work or in your lunch time – and take time to worship and pray. Consider fasting during the week, either for the full time, or for a day, or even a few meals.
Here’s a great quote by Paul Miller from his very helpful book on prayer:
American culture is probably the hardest place in the world to learn to pray. We are so busy that when we slow down to pray we find it uncomfortable. We prize accomplishments, production. But prayer is nothing but talking to God. It feels useless, as if we are wasting time. Every bone in our bodies screams; “Get to work!”When we aren’t working we are used to being entertained. Television, the internet, TV games and cell phones make free time as busy as work. When we slow down we slip into a stupor. Exhausted by the pace of life we veg out in front of a screen or with earplugs…One of the subtlest hindrances to prayer is probably the most pervasive. In the broader culture and in our churches, we prize intellect, competency and wealth. Because we can do life without God, praying seems nice but unnecessary. Money can do what prayer does, and it is quicker and less time consuming. Our trust in ourselves and in our talents makes us structurally independent of God….
Let’s determine to depend on God this week, to set time aside from the busyness to encounter Him, and to see what He will accomplish as we go forward!
