This Sunday evening we begin a new event at our church, our Spring Prayer Refresher. Jonathan Edwards of The Great Awakening fame helps us with why we should give these days to corporate prayer.
I have often said it would be a thing very desirable and very likely to be followed with a great blessing, if there could be some contrivance, that there should be an agreement of all God’s people in America, that are well affected to this work, to keep a Day of Fasting and Prayer to God; wherein we should all unite on the same day…Some perhaps may think its being all on the same day, is a circumstance of no great consequence; but I can' t be of that mind…It seems to me, it would mightily encourage and animate God’s saints, in humbly and earnestly seeking God, for such blessings which concerns them all; and that it would be much for the rejoicing of all, to think, that at the same time, such multitudes of God’s dear children, far and near, were sending up their cries to the same common Father, for the same motives. Jonathan Edwards, 1742
Edwards delivers impactful ideas in the brief quote. For me, I like the clause, “(corporate prayer) would mightily encourage and animate God’s saints.” We want that in our church, right? We long for encouragement for ourselves and our church family. We hope for each of the church to live the Christian life within our Christian community and to a lost world. Prayer is the catalyst for both.
Would you commit to corporate prayer, “for the same motives?”
Our corporate prayer begins Sunday night as we gather around the Lord’s Table. Our emphasis will be confession. Monday we will commit to obeying our Lord. Tuesday will find us declaring our dependence on God, and Wednesday we will ask God for his intervention. I trust this emphasis will be good for the church and glorifying to God.
As always I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.