Yes, I know I am the pastor, but I still dread going to prayer meetings. We are all the same, equally unspiritual in our reasoning and emotions about such holy activities.
Leaving Home
It takes a lot to get out the door and on the road. Another prayer meeting—ugh!
There are so many other things we could be doing with those 60-90 minutes. Although in reality, we wouldn’t usually be doing anything all that important that we wouldn’t find time to finish anyway.
It is okay to say sometimes that we are tired, or just don’t feel spiritual enough to pray. And yet, these excuses sound all too similar to those excuses we give in order not to go to the gym. We might note that after we talk ourselves into going and exercising, then life becomes much better. I have never regretted going to the gym.
Getting to the Meeting
Once at the meeting it is such a delight to see our friends. And likely many of them struggled with the same fleshly or spiritual warfare struggles we did to gather together for prayer. The enemy loves to keep us from such gatherings of encouragement, power and accomplishment.
Now we are ready. Or, maybe we are almost ready. After the Scriptures are read, and the world’s needs are laid out before us, we must pray! The Spirit is at work upon our minds and hearts, to join with God in His redemptive work around the world. And to pray for the needs in our own fellowship.
By the way, if our friends don’t make it to the meeting, what they need is our encouragement. The last thing they need is to be reprimanded. Better yet, tell them about your experience, be honest with your own struggles and then expound upon the blessings that exceeded your expectations!
Praying Together
When praying we become spiritual. We see the needs of the world, especially its vast spiritual needs. We pray and our hearts become enlarged, compassionate and yearning to become more and more involved.
Our prayers inspire one another to pray more boldly than if praying alone, even. When we hear what others pray, or they hear what we pray, and how God is moving upon all of us individually, we find ourselves opening up and joining in the prayers in new ways. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit works in His Church!
Having said this, those prayer meetings that consist of two-page, single-spaced, eight-point font lists of 247 plus prayer requests need to be re-envisioned. In addition, those prayer meetings that are led by those who cannot communicate with passion and vision the Gospel for the world need new leaders. If it is boring, admit it, and make the necessary changes.
Returning Home
I have never regretted a prayer meeting, no matter how ornery I was at the start. Prayer changes things, including us personally. Ultimately, it is a matter of spiritual warfare.
Prayer meetings refresh us in faith and renew us in hope. We find fresh application of the Gospel. We find deeper connection with God. And we strengthen our solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world.
I can hardly wait for the next prayer meeting! Until it comes to leaving home again.
Leaving Home
It takes a lot to get out the door and on the road. Another prayer meeting—ugh!
There are so many other things we could be doing with those 60-90 minutes. Although in reality, we wouldn’t usually be doing anything all that important that we wouldn’t find time to finish anyway.
It is okay to say sometimes that we are tired, or just don’t feel spiritual enough to pray. And yet, these excuses sound all too similar to those excuses we give in order not to go to the gym. We might note that after we talk ourselves into going and exercising, then life becomes much better. I have never regretted going to the gym.
Getting to the Meeting
Once at the meeting it is such a delight to see our friends. And likely many of them struggled with the same fleshly or spiritual warfare struggles we did to gather together for prayer. The enemy loves to keep us from such gatherings of encouragement, power and accomplishment.
Now we are ready. Or, maybe we are almost ready. After the Scriptures are read, and the world’s needs are laid out before us, we must pray! The Spirit is at work upon our minds and hearts, to join with God in His redemptive work around the world. And to pray for the needs in our own fellowship.
By the way, if our friends don’t make it to the meeting, what they need is our encouragement. The last thing they need is to be reprimanded. Better yet, tell them about your experience, be honest with your own struggles and then expound upon the blessings that exceeded your expectations!
Praying Together
When praying we become spiritual. We see the needs of the world, especially its vast spiritual needs. We pray and our hearts become enlarged, compassionate and yearning to become more and more involved.
Our prayers inspire one another to pray more boldly than if praying alone, even. When we hear what others pray, or they hear what we pray, and how God is moving upon all of us individually, we find ourselves opening up and joining in the prayers in new ways. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit works in His Church!
Having said this, those prayer meetings that consist of two-page, single-spaced, eight-point font lists of 247 plus prayer requests need to be re-envisioned. In addition, those prayer meetings that are led by those who cannot communicate with passion and vision the Gospel for the world need new leaders. If it is boring, admit it, and make the necessary changes.
Returning Home
I have never regretted a prayer meeting, no matter how ornery I was at the start. Prayer changes things, including us personally. Ultimately, it is a matter of spiritual warfare.
Prayer meetings refresh us in faith and renew us in hope. We find fresh application of the Gospel. We find deeper connection with God. And we strengthen our solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world.
I can hardly wait for the next prayer meeting! Until it comes to leaving home again.
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