By John Beverly, Reader, Springline Parish
Monday – Jocelynne’s Mother-in-Law
We had evening prayer one Sunday. There were only half a dozen of us and the church was cold so we huddled round a heater in the vestry. Very informal.
When it came to the intercessions the vicar asked each of us what we wanted to pray for. Everybody came up with something and Jocelynne asked for prayer for her mother-in-law who was poorly. So we prayed and everybody chipped in, praying for something they had thought about or praying for what somebody else had asked for.
At the end the vicar rounded it up, adding, “And we pray for Jocelynne’s mother-in-law.” Immediately I felt that wasn’t enough so I interrupted and prayed for her to know God was with her and that he would heal her from whatever ailed her.
Next Sunday as we gathered in the morning Jocelynne came running up to me. “John,” she breathlessly exclaimed. “Last Sunday when I got home my mother-in-law rang. She said that about quarter past seven she suddenly felt better!”
Quarter past seven was immediately after we’d prayed for her! Answered prayer!
Just pray for somebody you know who needs God’s hand.
This week we will be looking at some examples of what happens when we pray.
Tuesday – The Miracle of Dunkirk
In May 1940 we were in some of the darkest days our nation ever faced. Allied forces were trapped with their backs to the sea at Dunkirk. The German high command said, “We are proceeding to annihilate the British army. Winston Churchill was preparing to admit military catastrophe. Allied generals were predicting a third of a million casualties.
In that context King George VI went to the airwaves on the 23rd May 1940 and called for a national day of prayer the following Sunday, 26th May. There are black and white photographs of 26th May 1940 with long lines of people waiting to get into cathedrals and chapels and churches to intercede for this nation in its darkest hour.
The very next day that flotilla of 860 vessels set sail for France hoping against hope they might save some of those 30,000 of those men. What happened next has been described by not only Christians as a miracle.
First of all there were unseasonable storms in mainland Europe that grounded the Luftwaffe for 3 days. Secondly, Hitler made one of the biggest mistakes of the war, ordering his ground forces to halt for three days. No one can explain why Hitler made that instruction. So that great flotilla was able to use three days to ferry those troops off the beaches of Dunkirk.
As a result, not just 30,000 men were rescued but 338,000 were returned to England. On the 4th June 1940 Winston Churchill stood in parliament and hailed the miracle of Dunkirk, the miracle of deliverance that undoubtedly altered the course of the second world war.
Wednesday – A Red Dragon
God says,
“Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.”
(Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:17)
While praying recently a friend had a picture. It was of a red dragon flying across from Europe to the U.K.
Now, a red dragon can mean a number separate things. In this case, first, it may be a symbol for China. Secondly – and separately – it is a sign of something fiery and stormy.
The picture was completed by a net surrounding and capturing the dragon.
The picture has been interpreted as the dragon representing the COVID 19 virus approaching. But the net is interpreted as prayer catching and resisting the virus.
If you accept the interpretation or not we certainly can pray for our times.
Here are some prayers for the healing of our world.
God of love and hope,
You made the world and care for all creation.
But the world feels strange right now.
The news is full of stories about Coronavirus.
Many people are anxious because of it.
Many people are anxious that they might get ill.
Many people are anxious about their family and friends.
Be with them in their worries and help them to find some peace.
We pray too for those who are grieving, reeling from the sudden loss of loved ones. May they know Your comfort at this time.
Lord God we ask that You protect us from the further spread of this disease in our nation. We pray for all medical professionals dealing daily with the intense pressures of this pandemic and for the care workers working with little protection with those most at risk. Grant them resilience in weariness, discernment in diagnosis and compassion upon compassion as they care. We thank You for the army of researchers working towards finding a cure and we ask that You give them breakthrough quickly and bring hope to those who are ill.
Father God we pray, too, for wisdom for our leaders: the WHO, our government both national and local, heads of schools, hospitals and other institutions, that they may make the right decisions to enable our country to keep functioning.
Lord, we lift to You our concern for people who are more likely than others to become severely ill from COVID-19 — the elderly and people with chronic health conditions and those in residential care. Protect them from harm and be their comfort in this time of uncertainty.
As the virus spreads we pray for the disruption it causes to normal life, bringing new fears and anxieties:
We pray for those who have been laid off as their work disappears; for financial hardship for individuals and businesses; for the impact on the economy and pensions, when austerity has already left its mark.
We pray especially for those isolated and ill in hospital and at home who will feel especially scared and lonely and who may be crying out for loves ones or company – hear their cry, Lord.
We pray for those whose trips, both for business and pleasure, have been cancelled; and others where events, long anticipated and planned for, have been postponed;
We remember those who cannot visit loved ones in locked-down care homes;
for the elderly whose social contacts have been severely curtailed;
help us to find creative ways of keeping in touch, of assuring them they are not forgotten or ignored.
God of grace and God of mercy, hear our prayers at this time.
Strengthen us, by Your Spirit, so that we may carry on our lives as best as we are able, looking out for others, showing love in action, being faithful in prayer, and bringing encouragement, hope and peace; always trusting in You, our Rock and our Redeemer.
Thank You that even in these strange and worrying times, You are with us and Your Word promises that You will never leave us nor forsake us.
We ask these things in Your precious name
Amen.
Thursday – What A Friend We Have in Jesus
In 1842, an Irishman named Joseph Scriven graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, and promptly fell head over heels in love with a girl from his hometown. They got engaged and, with great excitement, planned their wedding and began dreaming about their future together as husband and wife.
The eve of their wedding arrived at last, and Joseph’s fiancée saddled a horse to go and see him. Tragically it was one of the last things she would ever do. A little later Joseph saw his bride-to-be riding towards him, and he grinned. But suddenly, just as she was crossing the bridge over the river the horse bucked and threw her like a rag doll into the river below. In blind panic Joseph ran to the river, calling out her name. He plunged into the icy waters but it was too late. His bride was already dead.
Heartbroken, Joseph emigrated to Canada, where he eventually fell in love again. In 1854 Joseph was due to marry Eliza Roche, but she fell ill and grew progressively worse. The wedding was repeatedly postponed until, three years later, Eliza died. Joseph Scriven would never give his heart to another.
Back home, in Ireland, Joseph’s mother was deeply concerned for her heartbroken son, and he in turn was concerned for her. One night he composed a poem to comfort her little knowing that it would become one of the best loved songs of all time. Several years later a friend found it in a drawer at Joseph’s house and was deeply moved. “The Lord and I wrote it together,” Joseph explained. That poem continues to call people whatever their condition to prayer.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Friday – God on Mute: Unanswered Prayer
I wanted to finish with something about unanswered prayer. There are 15 reasons for unanswered prayer. But it was too much for a simple reflection.
Our daughter Faith met her handsome prince and married him, age 23 years. Four months later she was diagnosed with cancer and three months after that she died. She was the glue that held her older sister, Joy and her younger sister, Ruth together. She was a physiotherapist. I have experience of seeing people work with disabled children. She was my daughter but I can honestly say I have never seen anybody relate so naturally to such children. What a waste her death was when she had so much love and skill to offer to us all.
A couple of years ago Ruth’s husband, Aaron, was making a film with a guy called Pete Greig.
Pete is one of the champions of the 24-7 Prayer Movement. His church has kept us prayer for 24 hours a day for over 20 years and the movement is now international.
He is one of the best people to hear speak or listen to about prayer.Aaron happened to mention Ruth’s loss of her sister, Faith. Pete took out his own copy of his book “God On Mute”, wrote in the flyleaf, “Ruth, I hope this helps you, Love, Pete.”
The book is immensely readable, often painfully honest and packed with stories (the story of “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” comes from that book). Chapters 7, 8, and 9 talk us through the 15 reasons prayer may be unanswered.
You can hear Pete talk about Prayer in the (free) online ‘Prayer Course’: https://prayercourse.org/
His session on unanswered prayer is here: https://prayercourse.org/session/unanswered-prayer/
And Pete has written the best book on actually praying that I have found.
If you would like to hear Pete talk engagingly about how to pray please contact me: johnbevster@gmail.com