Day 16: Praying

Our family has seen a lot of moving. When we moved back to our home town about two years ago, we began a search for a home church, and with a lot of prayer and struggle to find a home for our family, we are where we are. We became members and have slowly become part of the body there. We meet with a small group for Bible study. I serve about every two months in children's church. Our daughter joined the AWANA program, and for the past two weeks, we have been able to go to the prayer service.

To call it a "service" is a bit of a stretch as it's not very formal at all. In fact, it's about 7-8 people sitting in a circle in the youth room, spending time in prayer.

Nothing flashy.

Nothing formal.

Completely delightful.

Tonight, for an hour, I sat with my brothers and sisters in Christ and prayed over members of the church who were hurting or needed wisdom. We prayed over the ministries. We praised God for who He is and what He is doing. My hope is that we are able to attend and attend often and consistently. It's a lovely time, and I think a beautiful opportunity to get to know more people in our church.

I am so thankful that we can approach the throne of grace, through Jesus. That curtain, that separation, was torn in two by the power of the cross, and I am so thankful that I can sit in the company of fellow believers and pray to a sovereign God who listens. I am thankful that I live in a country in which we do not have to whisper quietly or play music to shroud the sounds of voices lifted to God in prayer. I'm thankful for the body of believers at church, and for the faith they have and the encouragement they are to me.

I am blessed tonight by the simplicity of prayer, and the complexity of it. I'm blessed tonight by the privilege of prayer and the responsibility of it.

Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,

in the company of the upright,

in the congregation.

Psalm 111:1