Corporate Prayer
Several years ago I was at a place in my spiritual walk that caused me to reflect on where I had been and where I was going. I had a yearning for a deeper intimacy with God, but did not know how to go about achieving this intimacy.
It was very helpful to meet with two dear brothers, Dave and Tom, on separate occasions to talk this over and ask for their prayers. Dave recommended a couple of good books, which were very helpful. One of these books, Enjoying Intimacy with God by J. Oswald Sanders, introduced me to a very simple idea: “It is we, not God, who determine the degree of intimacy with Him that we enjoy. We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be.” From that time on, I have attempted to persevere in choosing to be close to God.
I wish it was as easy as that—just choose to be close and I’m there. But in reality it has been mostly three steps forward, two steps back. Those two steps back have been agonizing. But the Lord is gracious and continues to motivate me and enable me to keep pursuing Him.
Hebrews 11:6 has come to mean a great deal to me. It says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” That verse contains an important promise: If you seek Him, He will reward you. That has done a lot to motivate me in the long-term to keep seeking Him. The Lord is faithful and keeps His promises. I have indeed enjoyed ever-deepening intimacy with God, by his grace and mercy.
Early this summer the Lord got my attention as I was reading in Acts chapter 7. In verse 51, in Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin, he infuriated them with the statement, “You are always resisting the Holy Spirit!” When I read that, I recognized that I had been resisting the Holy Spirit by neglecting Wednesday night prayer meeting. We are all taught by the Scriptures to pray together. As an elder, I recognized the importance even more personally, knowing that we elders are to devote ourselves specifically to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6). And yet I had not committed myself to corporate prayer.
I yielded on the spot. God at that moment put a hunger in me to be in His presence, along with my brothers and sisters, on Wednesday nights. This, in turn, has enriched the rest of my prayer life and personal worship time. I discovered the truth of this thought: “Those who neglect the consistent habit of praying in extended fashion with a community of believers are robbing themselves of great blessing and balance.”† I had been robbing myself of a great blessing!
If you are not in the habit of going to mid-week corporate prayer meeting, I would like to encourage you to go. Go to be spiritually refreshed. More importantly, go and pray, because God is worthy to be sought.
† Daniel Henderson, Fresh Encounters.
It was very helpful to meet with two dear brothers, Dave and Tom, on separate occasions to talk this over and ask for their prayers. Dave recommended a couple of good books, which were very helpful. One of these books, Enjoying Intimacy with God by J. Oswald Sanders, introduced me to a very simple idea: “It is we, not God, who determine the degree of intimacy with Him that we enjoy. We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be.” From that time on, I have attempted to persevere in choosing to be close to God.
I wish it was as easy as that—just choose to be close and I’m there. But in reality it has been mostly three steps forward, two steps back. Those two steps back have been agonizing. But the Lord is gracious and continues to motivate me and enable me to keep pursuing Him.
Hebrews 11:6 has come to mean a great deal to me. It says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” That verse contains an important promise: If you seek Him, He will reward you. That has done a lot to motivate me in the long-term to keep seeking Him. The Lord is faithful and keeps His promises. I have indeed enjoyed ever-deepening intimacy with God, by his grace and mercy.
Early this summer the Lord got my attention as I was reading in Acts chapter 7. In verse 51, in Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin, he infuriated them with the statement, “You are always resisting the Holy Spirit!” When I read that, I recognized that I had been resisting the Holy Spirit by neglecting Wednesday night prayer meeting. We are all taught by the Scriptures to pray together. As an elder, I recognized the importance even more personally, knowing that we elders are to devote ourselves specifically to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6). And yet I had not committed myself to corporate prayer.
I yielded on the spot. God at that moment put a hunger in me to be in His presence, along with my brothers and sisters, on Wednesday nights. This, in turn, has enriched the rest of my prayer life and personal worship time. I discovered the truth of this thought: “Those who neglect the consistent habit of praying in extended fashion with a community of believers are robbing themselves of great blessing and balance.”† I had been robbing myself of a great blessing!
If you are not in the habit of going to mid-week corporate prayer meeting, I would like to encourage you to go. Go to be spiritually refreshed. More importantly, go and pray, because God is worthy to be sought.
† Daniel Henderson, Fresh Encounters.
posted by Mark at 12:13 PM
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