I was glad to be included in the 2024 Lent Devotional, Finding Freedom — The World Turned Upside Down, published by the Union Gospel Mission here in Vancouver. Here is the entry for Day 24, Tuesday, March 12.
When I read the Acts 16 text I am drawn to the “places of prayer” almost as if they are another character in the story. Likewise, our places of prayer today are not centers of cultural and societal power. What would happen if we made a few more trips to and from these intangible places? What would happen if we actually looked and expected the activity of God on our way to and from them? And what could happen if we gathered some followers of Jesus to pray regularly in a neighbourhood?
A few years ago, while pastoring with Cityview Church in Vancouver, I moved our weekly prayer meeting out of the building and onto the sidewalks. We sent small groups out for prayer walks in the neighbourhood. Once in my group, the three of us paid attention to what was in the yards and homes we passed. We asked God to bless parents with wisdom, to open hearts to Jesus as Lord, to bless the gardeners with the same diligence for their souls as they had for their gardens, for the poor to have decent living spaces, and for Jesus to be known by the nations living in our neighbourhood.
On our way back to the church, I noticed a man standing in the middle of the sidewalk. As we approached, he did not turn aside or make room for us. Instead, he waited for us. When we were right in front of him, he asked,
“Where are you going?” “We are going to the church building.”
“Where have you been?” “We have been praying for the neighbours.”
“Would you come in my house? My wife wants to know how to meet God.”
We were stunned. This had never happened to us before. We followed him into his house. We spoke with his wife about Jesus and a few months later she declared her allegiance to Jesus through testimony and baptism.
That day we were going and coming from our place of prayer in our neighbourhood — prayerfully. We rejoiced for days afterward because God had prepared us all for a divine encounter. We rejoiced because the Lord added to His family of believers.
God, we need a few more places of prayer. Help us see that You call us to be mobile prayer units. Help us create places of prayer everywhere.