Last week we began prayer walking throughout the community
at 6 in the morning…Our first day doing it was sooo powerful. God showed me three things that morning…
1) As we were walking, there were maybe 11 of us, a
car came up behind us, its headlights casting our shadows on the side of a
building. We looked like a multitude of
larger-than-life soldiers, marching boldly and confidently into battle. Wow.
Is that not what we were doing?
“Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the
battle against your enemies today. Do
not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid,
or panic, or tremble before them, for the LORD your God is the One who goes
with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.” (Deut. 20:3-4)
2) Sunday night, before beginning our prayer
walking on Monday, my heart was soooo
heavy. For the last week, there has been
a festival going on in our town…full of darkness. During church Sunday night, the music was
blaring outside, the smell of alcohol filled the town, and here we all
were….the light of the world….Hope living within us…inside the church
building. Why weren’t we out there with
them? Allowing Light to put out Darkness??
So as we were prayer walking Monday
morning…in the dark, we passed a house with its shutters closed and door shut,
with light spilling out of the cracks just enough for one to know that a light
was on inside. It was a perfect picture
of how I was feeling the night before. I
imagined the shutters and door swinging wide open, and all the light within
flooding out into the darkness.
We HAVE
to be that as the church. We can’t stay
confined to the comfort of our church buildings. We have to let the LIGHT of God within us put
out the darkness!!
“You are the light of the
world. A city on a hill cannot be
hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the
lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way
that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in
heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16)
3)
Seeing Pastor Gregorio’s faith, hope, love and
perseverance in prayer for his community reaaaaaally opened my eyes. How many times have I walked around my
neighborhood before dawn, pleading with the Lord for the souls of my
neighbors? Never. Not once.
Gregorio mentioned once that he’s like a farmer, checking his fields for
the harvest. Praying with expectation. Sowing and waiting.
“If My people who are called by My name
humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their
land.” (2 Chron. 7:14)
