It was the night before last when I went out to pray and run again. The Chippy was very good about me leaving only a short while after he came home from Cheshire, he was even pretty cool about having to cook his own supper after the long drive.
The going was harder on 2 meals of chips! I made too many the night before when Ian came for supper so I had half the left overs for lunch and the same again for supper! Still, I didn’t seem to take much longer and it’s great to just have the time to be before God, to praise him, as the stars begin to twinkle and the farmers are driving home after their last chore, squeezed in during the last hour of daylight.
I began intercession with Cara and Timothy. Asked God to show me what he has on his heart for them, and I think one of the answers was himself, his loving ever present fatherhood. Knowing their circumstances, this should seem obvious! Anyway, I prayed for all the foundational important understandings of a father to be given them, at the right time, gently and certainly. Thanking God for his amazing love, understanding and wisdom. He is so infinitely good. So I prayed that they would look to him more and more as they grow and learn to know him, be dependent on him…just carried on in that vein for a while, had a great sense of the importance of his presence in their life and how beyond my words his love for them goes!
The Chippy, whom I don’t pray for as thoroughly as I should, because I get complascent, taking his welbeing for granted. This is so wrong, and then I want to pray big amazing incisive prayers but I don’t seem to know what..I should ask God why this is…Note to self next prayer run time. Did the perfunctory prayers, trusting God to ensure he gets what he needs despite my deficiencies.
Seems much easier to pray for the Cherub and the Tidge. Flows easily with their horizons so wide and their lives before them. Just keep them passionate for doing your will, Father, keep them so close and right in the centre of the fountains of heaven’s blessing, by their own choices to honour you, obey you in service and gratitude for the life you have for them. Thank you for their close friendship and and guide them as they enter these new chapters in their lives. Let them know your closeness all the time.
Prayed for Marianne, asking for her to keep looking at the truth and to know your freeing power. Prayed that the enemy would not be stealing her inheritance and freedom in Christ. Prayed for her to have good friends around her and to find strength and mercy each day. Break the circle of destructive thoughts in the name of Jesus. Be the lifter of her head. Thank you for the woman of God you see, Lord when you look at her, and for your delight and joy you feel when your eyes are on her. Truth and freedom and release, God you have it all and so want to give it to your children! Amen.
Did a fairly quick naming of other little ones before God, but focused especially on Louisa and Polly and their parents. Asked you to help them see you are not just a nice polite old God pleased with good, well brought up children and not very interested in the scruffy ones that swear and live in rough areas! Oh Thankyou God so much for being so utterly wise and loving all people without our human blinkers. Please just day by day show us more deeply how you love and what you are like. Thank you that Louisa and Polly have shown an interest in church and Lord, make that a radical thing in their lives, not a pleasant ‘now and then’ diversion.
(Typing this up is harder than the actual praying of it, but it’s really good to have to remember what I prayed and it serves as a pointer to me next time I pray.. so I’m glad I’m doing it, if only for the mental discipline by which praying is improved.)
Praying for Shadrack, Sophie and Shona was easy enough and to the point. The crucial thing is to remember them and not grow tired of praying for them, even though I’ll probably never see them or the way God answers the prayers. Except when I get to heaven.
I named others too, remembering their parents and asking for your guidance and blessing. In particular, Lord, for a ministry for Demitri. (This may all be my idea but at least it gives me something specific and I’ll trust you with the answer…he might become a boiler repair man but you would still use him for amazing work in your kingdom if my prayers for him are answered!) I love your Grace, my amazing God! I pray for Demitri and have such a desire in my heart that he grows up to be a mighty man of God. I know that my maveric tendency could be a total block to this prayer being answered and so I keep having to ask God to ‘search my heart’ and know/reveal any unrigteousness or perversity there and warn me. However, if I focus on the fruit and not the accusation about why I’m praying for this, I can desire it for the purest of reasons, and this I choose to do, my God and KIng…use him and grow him and set him on a course of true goodness. Sovereign Lord, use the promices and prayers of all who have stood in your house and made them, to allow your love and influence to guide, save and keep this boy as he grows. I prayed for him to get into university and a good Christian union and hey presto :D…but I really know that this is like watching a small child rehearsing a cute but silly little play to impress its parents! God knows his plans and purposes for him and I say ‘Amen’, God’s way and will be done in his life, only use him and let him be one who plays his joyful part in bringing in the Kingdom.
As ever, prayed for Joe T Shuster: Play it again Sam! Oh yes, and as I was praying for that ministry and that church, I don’t know if it was the endorphins kicking in because I was running, but I started saying ‘Rock that town’, and very quickly I was praying for the whole nation to be rocked and for new stuff to happen and revival! Had that theme of God coming and shaking and rocking people, hearts, communities, specifically and generally, all the way home. It was very enjoyable and spiritually encouraging which was in sharp contrast to how knackered I was feeling running up the hill past the old sunday school. Well, ‘staggering’ would be a nearer verb to use! Good old Joe, though. He’ll be doing his bit in the rocking of the nation. Halleluya!
Jowdy's Blog 