Don’t forget that we will be livestreaming a prayer meeting tonight (Thursday 26th March at 7:30 p.m.) using Zoom technology. The link for the meeting is https://zoom.us/j/620046949
You can log in to the meeting using this link on phones (if you have downloaded the free Zoom app) and on laptops/ tablets/ computers. Hopefully we can all see each other and there is the possibility of others talking/ praying via this technology. Please let us know any specific prayer requests during the day and we will pray for these tonight.
Sometimes it can be hard to know how to pray or what to pray, especially during these chaotic times. As always, we return to Scripture: when the disciples asked Jesus ‘teach us to pray’, He gave them a framework for prayer we call the Lord’s Prayer (see Matt 6:9-14).
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This framework acknowledges our relationship with God: He is ‘our Father’. We pray not out of duty or from a distance; we pray to a loving, heavenly Father who doesn’t change like shifting shadows (or Coronavirus updates!) and who gives every good and perfect gift. (James 1:17)
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We pray to a God who is in heaven, who is above all, who is reigning and ruling and still in control. ‘Hallelujah, for the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!’ (Rev 19:6)
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We pray to a holy God who is not tainted by sin in any way. Everything He does is good and right. (Ps 119:68)
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We ask for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth, as in heaven. We long to see people bowing the knee to Jesus. We long to see God’s reign and rule evident in the way people live. We long for revival and for people to see their need for God.
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We can ask for God’s daily bread in our lives: not only for the practical things that form such a big part of life, but we can ask for that spiritual food which will satisfy our souls. God’s interested in our daily lives!
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We can rejoice in the forgiveness we have from God and can live in forgiveness: ‘keep us forgiven and forgiving’. Whilst we may be separated from some people, the daily strain of close proximity to others may test our patience, grace and love. We need to keep on forgiving and heed the advice in Scripture not to go to bed angry, so that we don’t give the devil a foothold in our lives. (Eph 4:26-27) Some versions talk of debts, and at this time of huge economic uncertainty, we can pray for wisdom and help in dealing with financial debt as well. We can pray for the Government as it attempts to help people who can no longer work at the moment and for our economy.
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We can pray for protection from temptation and deliverance from the evil one. Ultimately, life is a spiritual battle. This is not just about a physical virus. The enemy is seeking to sow chaos, fear, trepidation and disorder into the world and we need to be aware of his tactics. God is not like that. We need also to be aware that Jesus is coming again and we need to be ready. (1 Thess 5:1-11)
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The Message version of the Lord’s prayer ends like this: ‘You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes.’ True prayer will always start and end with God.
