Making space to pray
This September from 1 -7 is the Global Week of 24-7 Prayer and the vision is simple but powerful: to see non-stop prayer in every nation on earth, lifting up the name of Jesus and asking God to move across the world.
The prayer room is a creative prayer space that enables a chain of unbroken day and night prayer, bringing friends, communities and churches together to seek the presence of God.
Prayer is at the core of our faith, it's a two-way conversation with the living God who loves and listens to the things we say and longs for us to hear his song over us. There are so many unique and creative ways to connect with God.
Our church family is so faithful in prayer; individually, in prayer triplets, as well as connect groups. I wanted to share something exciting with you. This September from 1 -7 is the Global Week of 24/7 Prayer and at Bretton we are dedicating a physical space, 24 hours a day for 7 days, to enable a chain of unbroken day and night prayer.
The vision is simple but powerful: to see non-stop prayer in every nation on earth, lifting up the name of Jesus and asking God to move across the world.
As part of this week, 24-7 Prayer are partnering with OM to provide resources to help us pray for the nations (om.org/pray-for-the-nations). You can download a prayer guide here, and find prayer and recipe cards here.
Ancient Celts used the phrase "thin places" to describe where the veil between heaven and earth becomes so thin that prayer flows easily, and the still, small voice of God is heard clearly. Over and over, people report that in the presence of God, one hour feels like ten minutes.
The prayer room is a creative, physical prayer space that enables a chain of unbroken day and night prayer, bringing friends, communities and churches together to seek the presence of God.
We will be beginning and ending the week with times of gathered worship and prayer:
Launch evening: Sunday August 31 at 7:30pm
Celebration evening: Sunday September 7 at 7:30pm
I'm really excited to see people come together to pray across our community and the world 🙏 🙌
Our prayer room is going to be stacked full of different ways to help you pray and seek God. Here are some ideas to help you pray at home.
For this prayer activity we are praying for God to heal our world and our nation
The name of a country and perhaps a map. You could use this website to pick a random country randomcountrygenerator.com, choose your own country, or a country God has placed on your heart, and pray for God’s forgiveness and healing.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
— 2 Chronicles 7:14
Read through the scripture describing what the Holy Spirit anointed Jesus to do (Luke 4:14–19), pausing on phrases that stand out to you
Pray that the nation would experience the good news, the freedom, the recovery, the healing and the favour that the passage describes. Pray that God would cover the world with his glory and lift his name high!
This prayer activity is about persistently praying for something again and again until God moves and change happens.
Some small items, building blocks, a rosary bracelet, even a set of pencils, anything you can mindfully stack or move from one pile to another. Alternatively you could do this while engaged in another activity, such as making a cup of tea or going up the stairs.
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
— Matthew 7:7
Choose something from the list of examples or choose something in your own life that you have been asking God to change for a long time
Pray over and over for the same thing while stacking blocks, or performing the task
Those struggling with food poverty
The mentally or physically ill
Those dealing with addiction
The homeless community
Conflicts in our world: wars, divides, and interpersonal issues
Prejudice and discrimination
This is the time to pray daring, bold, big prayers. Because the power of prayer is not in us, but in God – who hears and answers prayers in his will, with his grace and in his timing.
A physical cross: wooden, cardboard or drawn on paper.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
— James 5:16
Spend some time thanking God for prayers he has answered for you, for your community and for your nation in the past
Kneel before the cross in humility, confessing the things you’ve done wrong or good things you’ve left undone, admitting that you need God’s help. If you feel led, you might want to talk to god about bigger issues: things your community or your nation has gotten wrong, things that you need God’s help to change
Dare to pray the big prayers at the foot of the cross that you haven’t prayed before, or you stopped praying because you didn’t think they’d be answered. Pray for God to be known in your life and the life of your nation in a completely new way: for his glory to be known in your community and shine out across the world!
Some soil
Small plant pots, or seed trays
Some seeds
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
— Ezekiel 37:4–6
In Ezekiel’s vision, the Spirit of God brings new life and new hope into a lifeless place. Who are the people in your life, your community and church who need new hope and new life?
Begin to fill a plant pot with soil and pray for God to prepare the hearts of people to listen
Put a few seeds into the soil and ask God to speak into the lives of the people you are thinking about. Say their names as you plant each seed
In this passage, the Holy Spirit is described as a wind. Elsewhere in the Bible, he is also represented by water
Water the seed, asking the Holy Spirit to come and flood into the lives you are praying for, bringing his life
This prayer activity uses our senses to practice increasing our awareness of the presence of God.
Bread and juice
A window to look out of, or a few photos of creation
Device to play music
Comfortable chair, or a cushion to sit on
Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
— Exodus 33:15–17
Touch: sit and feel your breath slowly rising and falling. Thank God that he is as close to us as our breath
Taste: thank God for his generosity to you as you eat the bread and drink the juice
Smell: think about the things you can smell, the bread, objects in the room. Practice focusing on God’s presence as you become more aware of your senses
Sight: praise God for his creation. Look out of the window, or at the photos in front of you, and thank him for his creative and inspiring presence
Extra action: Continue to practice being in God’s presence by setting a daily reminder on your phone to pause and spend time with him