11.23.09
Praying from 10 to Midnight
This last weekend our church spent another twenty-four hours in prayer. There’s always a buzz of activity in the days leading up to a prayer room. We’re decorating, reminding people about their shifts, and trying to find people to come and pray at 3 AM. We always have people “on call” who open the doors and greet people as they come in. This time my shift was from 10 PM – 2 AM. The first two hours were empty, so I would pray.
I have no idea what makes that room so special. But I feel like God really does come and meet us there. It’s moving to read through the journal on the table, or see the scribbled prayers on the wall, or to picture our church members on their knees before the big wooden cross in the room. Our team leader was telling me that he thought that the prayer rooms are the most important thing we do as a church.
It’s also one of the craziest things we do. Marcus prayed four hours straight and when I saw him the next day he said he felt like four hours wasn’t enough. My two hours flew by – I felt like I just got started. Our newly-baptized believer came out of the prayer room with wide eyes and said she’s going to sign up for more hours next time. My friend Simone was giddy at church when he told me he just did his first hour alone in the prayer room.
And so every other month or so (should it be more often?) we all take our turns in the prayer room. Some of us will write, some will pray out loud. Some will sing and some will listen to music. Some will shout and some will be still. But all of will come out somehow changed.
David Knapp said,
11.23.09 at 5:09 pm
That’s really great.
Whenever I sit down to pray for 4 hours it usually takes me about 10 minuets. Do you guys have requests that you go through or have you come up with a list of things to go through?
Brian said,
11.24.09 at 12:06 am
I think the key is we aren’t just sitting and praying silently. There’s a big sheet of paper on the wall to paint on. There are musical instruments. We usually have some kind of theme to focus our thoughts on. There’s a journal to write prayers in. I usually kind of make the rounds with the different ways of praying.
Josh has sent out text messages to people asking for things to pray for.
I don’t know what it is about it, but there is something unique about the prayer room.