This month in the Philippines
is an experiment in prayer.
is an experiment in prayer.
Let me explain.
No, scratch that. Let me say it again. This month in the Philippines
is an experiment in prayer.
is an experiment in prayer.
24/7 prayer, to be specific.
If you aren’t up on the history of the current 24/7 prayer
movement, check it out here.
movement, check it out here.
The long and short is that this 24/7 prayer thing is exactly
what it implies. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week of prayer.
what it implies. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week of prayer.
Is this something that can be accomplished by one person
alone? Not without God intervening in insanely supernatural ways.
alone? Not without God intervening in insanely supernatural ways.
Good thing that all of M squad and nearly half of N squad is
here at the YMC (Yu Lin Ministry Center) to support it, because it’s what our
main contact this month, Jeff Long, has asked of us.
here at the YMC (Yu Lin Ministry Center) to support it, because it’s what our
main contact this month, Jeff Long, has asked of us.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, of prayer for this nation,
for the ministries occurring this month, for the teams… I hope you get the
picture.
for the ministries occurring this month, for the teams… I hope you get the
picture.
A few nights ago, I found myself in a position I hadn’t been
in since my first major experience with 24/7 prayer.
in since my first major experience with 24/7 prayer.
Staying beyond your shift because the person signed up for
the slot after yours didn’t show.
the slot after yours didn’t show.
I was on the on-call team, and there was one weekend in
particular I remember where I took on two or three hours because no one had
signed up for the slots.
particular I remember where I took on two or three hours because no one had
signed up for the slots.
That two or three hours turned into… a lot more than I was
expecting.
expecting.
By the time it got to the sixth hour, I was checking my
watch every ten minutes, checking my phone… and praying, but it wasn’t the most
effective prayer.
watch every ten minutes, checking my phone… and praying, but it wasn’t the most
effective prayer.
Because I was at the end of my rope, trying to pray out of
my own strength.
my own strength.
I wasn’t prepared for a full seventh, so I called someone
else on the on-call team to finish up for me and ran for the hills.
else on the on-call team to finish up for me and ran for the hills.
I can’t say I fared much better this time around until I
started praying for God to give me the strength to continue into hour number
four.
started praying for God to give me the strength to continue into hour number
four.
Because as long as I was praying through His strength, I was
fine.
fine.
It was when thoughts of how tired I was, and how comfortable
my bed sounded, and places I had to be in the morning started hanging around
that I got itchy to go.
my bed sounded, and places I had to be in the morning started hanging around
that I got itchy to go.
Prayer is like anything else in ministry, as I’ve come to
realize. If I try to pray out of my own words, or my strength, I’m going to
fall flat on my face.
realize. If I try to pray out of my own words, or my strength, I’m going to
fall flat on my face.
Yet another example of how imperfect I am.
I was diving into another Kierkegaard essay last night, entitled
“To Need God is Perfection”, and he says this in it:
“To Need God is Perfection”, and he says this in it:
“With respect to physical existence, one needs
little, and to the degree that one needs less, the more perfect one is. In a
human being’s relationship with God, however, it is inverted: the more one
needs God the more perfect he is. To need God is nothing to be ashamed of but
is perfection itself. It is the saddest thing in the world if a human being
goes through life without discovering that he needs God!”
little, and to the degree that one needs less, the more perfect one is. In a
human being’s relationship with God, however, it is inverted: the more one
needs God the more perfect he is. To need God is nothing to be ashamed of but
is perfection itself. It is the saddest thing in the world if a human being
goes through life without discovering that he needs God!”
I’ve known for a long time that I need God, but the longer
I’m out here in the field, the more I see the littler areas of my life where I
need Him –
I’m out here in the field, the more I see the littler areas of my life where I
need Him –
The little areas where I’ve told myself I don’t need anyone
and shut Him out.
and shut Him out.
Prayer is but one area.
I’m interested to see what others are revealed.
