Uncategorized
Building a New Denomination: More than Just Nimble Structure
Read
In light of the multiple thousands of denominations existing over and against Je...
When we pray, “Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” in our regular weekly or daily prayers, we can easily lose sight of the radical petition we are making. We are asking for God’s sovereign love and power to come to fullness of expression right here among us. We are praying for God’s perfect love, justice, and peace to reign in our world. We are expressing a sure hope and complete trust that God is actively at work in our world through the Risen Christ to transform and renew all things. We cannot make the Kingdom of God come by our own efforts, but Jesus invites us to pray and live into its reality in our midst.
“The ultimate sign of the Kingdom in the life of this world is the cross.” – Lesslie Newbigin, The Kingdom of God in the Life of the World
One of my mentors in ministry taught me that praying for the whole world is good, but praying specifically for people and places gives those prayers greater fuel. As we pray specifically for a place, situation, or people to experience the Kingdom of God, we become dedicated to learning and caring about that specific need. Our hearts grow in love and hope and commitment as we pray for specific people and situations. And, we can identify the answers to our prayers as continue to pray and grow in awareness of that specific need. Those answers fuel our continued prayers, and our hearts are also changed.
Invitation
Whether it is in your own daily prayers or with a prayer ministry at your church, I invite you to join in a commitment to pray for Muslims during the month of Ramadan. During these 30 days, Muslims around the world fast from food during the daylight hours to express their faith and unity. As Muslims join in fasting, let’s pray for God’s perfect love, justice, and peace in Jesus Christ to be revealed to them. Let’s pray for God’s Kingdom to come into the hearts and communities of Muslims in our own cities and around the world.
Many resources are available to inform your daily prayers. Here is one resource that guides us to pray daily during Ramadan. You can sign up for email reminders, download a prayer guide, or order printed copies to share with others, https://www.pray30days.org
Share your global prayer commitments, resources, and ideas. Contact Rev. Jen Haddox, Director of Global Engagement, jen@eco-pres.org.
