Paul encouraged a church to put all kinds of prayers to God and indeed when you read it there is not just one kind of prayer you can make to Him. Just as there are different kind of approaches in verbal engagements with loved ones, from the pleasant and somewhat grovelling request, to a heartfelt cry for help and in between a mild-mannered and joyful set of thanks filled set of communications, so we are called to approach God in the same kind of way. This week’s set of Prayer Points takes on a few of those styles. Whichever way you perceive them, please bear them in mind as you pray on.
- Social Justice
Last Sunday I sat in a church service where the inspired and inspirational preacher talked about the heart of God for shalom. It is no surprise that a God of wholeness, perfect in all His ways has created the universe around us in such an intricate manner that works in a manner where every part fits and functions as it should in a perfectly whole manner each part plays its role.
There is something wrong. First, we die and there is a sense that the things around us are decaying. The greatest desire for all to function perfectly appears thwarted by an almost inevitable tendency for dysfunction. In fact we’re so used to it that we reassure ourselves that no one is perfect and we all make mistakes and accepting the lot believe we can satisfy with that.
Yet the God of wholeness will not let it slide like that. There is a peace to fight for in scenarios such as these. Homeless in the streets freezing away in the cold of winter. Battered wives, covering their bruises with make-up and feeble excuses afraid to break the vicious cycle that has them bound to a man whose expression of love is seriously compromised by a controlling mentality that refuses to treat her right. Children with horror stories of absent parents sucked in by an ever demanding work culture. Countries in extreme poverty. Lands decaying as hallmarks of man’s brutal raping of the environmental resources given to his stewardship. Whatever the issue personal, relational, social, national, political or environmental – each is an area in need of shalom.
Sometimes in the Christian ghetto, we can get with the pie-in-the-sky-when-I-die mentality that leaves the hungry starving, prisoners and sick without compassionate visits, widows and orphans neglected. The Prince of Peace tells us in Matthew 25, that such neglect will have severe consequences. So please remember the call to raise the banner and speak out for social justice – God’s heart for shalom – in your prayers.
- Rob Simmonite
Friends. Good ones are hard to find. Recently one of those select few to have made the grade is a man I came across whilst working for a brief time in Wigan. Rob is an amazingly gifted and talented gentleman with so much in his locker that there are a number of roles he could excel in and make a tremendous difference to mankind. That’s not hype, that’s the truth as I understand it having worked with him for a period of time. That time was way too short and he is one of those people that I would love to work alongside for a lot longer knowing not jus the quality of his productivity, but also what a great personal addition he’d be to any workforce with those vital qualities of humour, thoughtfulness, honesty and compassion.
He and his young family made a great impression on the heart of both me good self and me family with acts of generosity and care that was not even extended by members of my Christian family. Yes Mr. Simmonite is not a believer. He is theistically ambiguous – the existence of God does not play a major part in his life. Of course this is a prayer point in itself, but I don’t view relationships as projects to nudge people into the Kingdom or else. I see relationships as natural outlets of sharing Jesus’ love and leaving the convicting to the Spirit who has a good track record in that department. In the meantime Rob is married to the beautiful wife he has and they share a darling daughter who has already overcome great odds, which is another hallmark of Mr. Simmonite namely that of never being beaten by what life brings his way.
As with a number of people I know, Rob is facing challenging times in a number of areas and so being the believer that I am and a big fan of Rob’s as well I ask that you remember this man and his family in your prayers.
- Making Disciples
This week I’ve been convicted about quite a lot of things. In fact my wife has had to hear so many of my convictions she wonders if she’s a police station collecting one guilty of so many crimes. Some of these will be mentioned in upcoming posts. One that I’ll mention now even if I repeat it again is the desperate desire to make disciples.
It’s one of the things that attracted me to Jesus Christ – that reproductive factor. He makes me a disciple to go ahead and make disciples. In all the other issues and things that bothered some church activities making disciples seemed to be very low down the agenda. Yet that doesn’t make sense when you think about our relationship with Jesus. Evangelism, social action, mission, worship, praise, are implicit parts of this discipleship deal and if all these are experiences are kept to ourselves without helping someone come to, grow in and go onto reproduce in others that same desire to be like Jesus we’re missing something critical to the initial call.
More than ever before it is so crucial to be aware of the responsibility any follower of Christ has to make disciples. It is almost a natural part of the coding of a follower to have the desire to see others to come to pursue Him, be a part of His family and growing in the knowledge and grace of Him. It is an easy part of the deal to forget as we’re mired in our own struggles in the walk, but this is where that beautiful verse comes into its own that says that He is able to keep us from falling and present us faultless before the throne, hence He’s worthy of glory and praise. Hence it is by His strength we can go about the lifestyle and lifetime practice of making disciples. Please remember this vital part of the Christian walk in your prayers.
Prayer changes things. I saw it without paying attention in my childhood years, I began to notice a little bit more in the earlier stages of my conscious Christian commitment. The most precious lesson I learnt in the darkest hours of life was the essential importance of prayer. God did not promise that my life would be easy and that it would be comfort all the way. Neither did He promise that every battle that I faced I would be victorious (think it through people). What He has guaranteed is His presence and by prayer as I commune with Him at the very least He changes the state of my attitude to a situation invoking a peace and joy I never imagined possible even in the most challenging of situations. Prayer still has that power to those that believe. Sick people are healed, lost are found, hopeless are given hope and the miraculous happens all through prayer. So don’t stop praying.
Have a great weekend.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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