Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Can we pray together?

So I had an idea this morning. Could I use this prayer blog as a mechanism for group prayer; a venue to pray with friends--with you? ...

This past weekend I went on a retreat to a camp called Iroquoina in Pennsylvania. It was one of the richest retreats I have been on. My friend Dave, w/ the help of his cousin Di and others, did a fantastic job of coordinating it all. One of the things I so appreciated about the weekend was praying with other Christians in a small group setting on the Sunday, the Global Day of Prayer.

I believe praying with other believers is such a deep form of fellowship. There is just something about it that cannot be found anywhere else. Maybe this is why the early believers spent a lot of time praying together (Acts 2).

... So about praying together here, on this prayer blog; the following verse comes to mind:
"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."Matthew 18:19-20
Can we agree in prayer together here, on this blog? I think we can.

I am going to begin a prayer below. Perhaps you could (1) if you agree with the content of the prayer, pray along as you read and (2) continue the prayer by writing another prayer in the comment section.

I will love it if this works.
Dear Lord: thank you for being accessible through prayer. Thank you for being able to listen to the prayers of millions of people at the same time, as you did on the Global Day of Prayer on Sunday. Father, as your Word says in 2 Chronicles 4:17, and as millions prayed on Sunday, "forgive our sin and heal our land." Do that in my life, Lord. Help me to increasingly reject evil and to yearn for righteousness. Make me meek, humble and gentle. Give me a sense of urgency and peace that passes understanding at the same time. Help me not to be in so much of a hurry that I miss divine moments and opportunities. Give me times of being still and knowing that you are God, while connecting me with the reality of the needs around me, and the needs that are far away. Then show me my role and give me the courage to step out and obey and keep going. Father, bring me to a place where I yearn and long for you more than anything else, where prayer and communion and fellowship with your Spirit is truly my passion and life. Amen.
ar TORONTO, CANADA | 2023+

APRIL


MAY

27 Sat (1) 11am Commencement speaker at R. University, (2) ~3pm+ time w/ V/AR+
29 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer, (2) 3pm mtg DerCh - Mississauga
30 Tue (1) 10am ph call (AA), (2) 5:30pm video mtg (IsTan), (3) 8pm neighbourhood prayer mtg

JUNE
1 Thu (1) 11:30am Zoom mtg (LM), (2) 4pm mtg (VS,KBr)
2 Fri (1) 10:30am ph call (PVDW; SL w/ boys; ~J working)
3 Sat SL w/ boys and MG
5 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer mtg, (2) 2pm Europe call, (3) 5pm mtg/walk (YM)
6 Tue (1) 11:30am lunch (GD) - St. Jacobs, (2) 4pm mtg (AF) - Cambridge, (3) 7:30pm worship night
9 Fri ~J's b'day
10 Sat North Bay trip
13 Tue 11am mtg (DAy) (~J school trip w/ ~Co | text BD)
14 Wed 9:30am time w/ BD
15 Thu 4:30pm video mtg (Paul T.)
16 Fri (1) 9am video med appt, (2) 15-km run (Prayer Journey "warm-up")
17 Sat Prayer Journey (my own: 50km GTA bike-ride; Jessie's: 5KM) and speaking at GTA after-party
23-25 Fri-Sat poss. SL
26 Mon 2pm Europe monthly call
29 ... July 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas

JULY
... 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas
~8-17 SA+ in Toronto; P/H Bell likely visiting too
15 Sat aft+ baptism (Saj; NaB may be coming)
17-21 Mon-Fri Kids Kapers camp
24 Mon 2:45pm med. appt
26 Wed (1) 11am video mtg (SM), (2) 3pm Zoom mtg (SMa,SB), (3) 7pm ~J speaking at Greenhouse/Zoe - UofT downtown
27 Thu 10am video MVT board mtg
31 Mon 3:05pm med. appt
July/Aug CCWM board mtg / AGM

AUGUST
2 Wed 11am video mtg (SM+)
6-12 Sun-Fri Cottage w/ O/DN+ and UB/AC - Windermere; plus Muskoka
19 Sat poss. ~J fam beach day - Brighton area
25-29 Fri-Tue MoveIn staff retreat - southern Ontario

2023+
Sep 21 Thu - MVT board mtg
Sep 23 Sat poss. date of GV memorial
Sep 24 Sun ~Ch's b'day
Sep ~26-28 Poss. time in Lushnjë, Albania
Sep 29 - Oct 6 MoveIn Europe Conference+ - Durrës, Albania
Oct 21 Sat poss./unlikely date of GV memorial
Oct 21-27 Dollar-a-Day week
Early Nov Poss. fundraising event - Niagara
Nov-Jan Poss. time in India - Goa; Philippines - Manila+; Indonesia - Jakarta/Bali; LA/San Diego