Prayer Points (WE-110108)

Introduction

Friday evenings.

Back when I was growing up (not that I’ve stopped, you understand) at home with my siblings and parents (in reverse order, obviously), this evening was significant. TV would be turned off. The football magazines or comics would have to be put away. Before sun-set any necessary house chores were quickly completed. (OK when I say quickly and associate that with me good self, you’ll have to imagine … as indeed will I … as indeed will my parents … and my siblings – but don’t lose the thread.)

Then we’d have the Friday evening bath. Not that we didn’t have a wash ever again for a week, but that was a special bath. We got to spend time in the bath and splash around, then afterwards we’d get into our pyjamas and await to see if there was a little prayer before bed, or whether or not it was straight to bed. Either way the whole mood of the home took on an even slower relaxed pace than before. Mum the real work-horse of the home would chill out. As for Dad, I did not thing it was possible for him to chill out any more than he already was, but sure enough he would establish an even greater sense of serenity and calmness.

Sometimes we might have a bible quiz among ourselves as siblings, which I always won! (Sorry, Lord, forgive me, for I have sinned … I won most of the time … OK Lord, I did win sometimes … come on Lord, give me that one!) The whole feel of the evening is so chilled that it is a most a blissful existence.

This was the week in which I plugged into the power of corporate prayer and the whole deal tonight reminded of those occasions when we used the time to prayer and the power of prayer at all times in different forms. So I thought, without putting myself out too much, it would be worth having a weekly Prayer-Points entry on this here blog. Just some brief points to bear in mind for prayer. This week is the launch and we’ll see how we go from there.

But first …

Defining Grace

So there are many words we use to describe grace. On this one, though, I want to really give God thanks for showing me grace this week in another dimension, I’ll give you my description and a brief word on it.

Grace is God doing good through your life, when you feel bad.

As you may know this week saw me start work again after three weeks of a wonderful holiday. I’d like to tell you that I got straight back in the swing of things with no problems. The truth is that it was really hard to get into the rhythm of work again – partly to do with the crazy times I’d wake up and how jurried I was for work, partly because I had some other pressures this week that were a distraction.

Yet despite feeling tired and often lacking in energy, the grace of God was evident in actually allowing those I served and my colleagues to see something commendable, engaging and worthwhile. So despite how I felt, God was still able to use me to bring about some good in the workplace. I am overwhelmingly grateful for that and realise again it is not in my own strength that I make any kind of progress but in the strength of the Lord.

The grace of God is not there for me to take liberties and think I can cruise, so there’s every intention of getting back into the rhythm of things. Yet I’m grateful for His grace that as one songwriter put it brought me through.

Now onto those Prayer-Points.

• Chaka Khan

I don’t know Chaka Khan. Never met her in my life, and she has not had the pleasure of my charming acquaintance. I’ve heard her music though and as I was saying before I was under some pressure, it mounted up to this day, but I have to thank God for the glorious talent of the vocals of Chaka Khan. Now I wasn’t listening to this song when I was going through this, but her music, her awesome vocals provided the inspiration to overcome the challenges.

Apparently she herself has overcome some substantial challenges, indeed it is said that she has really gone through the fire in some issues of her life. As she begins another year ‘clean’ and pouring her efforts into worthwhile causes as well, after all she’s done for me and millions of others – remember her in your prayers.

• Spirit of Giving in the Time of Austerity

On Tuesday the price of VAT in Britain went up from 17.5% to 20% and in so doing looked to cause some hardship for among others, families on a low wage. This is just another part of the day in which we live with concerns over being in tough times and so needing to cut back on a lot of things.

It is easy to get caught up in economising and tightening the purse strings. It’s often a time to reflect on how much we waste. What can happen though in getting caught up with this is that we lose the whole deal of Christians being generous. The New Testament tells of lots of stories of those impoverished still having a generous spirit, whether the widow and her mite or Paul’s boasting of churches who gave when they did not have to give.

This isn’t a money issue, this is an issue of the heart. We learn from what’s going on around us, but does that change the heart that Christ gave us when it comes to giving? Please remember the generous spirit in times of austerity in your prayers.

• Church Gathering for Mutual Edification

This week has been one of the church in a really vital way in my personal life. It would take another blog to list all the things I’ve read this week that have been speaking of the church and how she expresses herself and for what purpose. You might have picked up on a craving I have for Christian community.

As the week ends and people think about going to church gatherings of one sort or another, it is worth asking the question again – why is the church the way it is? Is it what Jesus had in mind? Whatever the expression, whatever tradition, it’s a good time to reflect on whether our hearts are in tune with the heart of God. That is of course about more than the corporate worship of God, beautiful and crucial though that is. It is about people building each other up in the holy faith and stirring each other to do good works. Please remember church gatherings for mutual edification that impacts the world around them in your prayers.

That’s it for Prayer-Points this week – the deal is not just to pray and leave it to get dusty and old, but as a communication with God look forward to see how He responds in the various ways He can.

Have a great weekend.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd