May 2009 |
I recently found out about a 21st Century version of the 1st Century Upper Room. You remember the first one, don’t you? After Jesus’ ascension back to heaven, 120 of His followers met together daily to wait, as Jesus had told them to do, for the coming of the Holy Spirit. While they waited, we are told that they spent their time praying. In Muskegon, Michigan there is a new Upper Room. In it eight or nine followers of Christ meet once or twice a week to share prayer requests, engage in Bible study, memorize Scripture verses, and most of all, to pray. Not just anyone can join this group. You have to be committed to Jesus Christ and you have to believe in the power of prayer. So, all new joiners are first reviewed by the existing members to ensure that those characteristics are genuinely present in those who want to become part of this unique group of treehouse pray-ers. That’s right – the new Upper Room is a clubhouse built by a Dad and located in the trees behind the house of two of the club’s members. The group, known throughout the neighborhood as the Prayer Posse consists of kids ranging in age from 8 to 14. They thought of the idea themselves. They knew from training they had received at their churches and, for some, in their Christian schools, that prayer was a powerful tool for relating to God and for getting some important things accomplished in their lives and in the lives of their friends. So, one day several months ago, they decided to make praying together an important part of every week. The logical place to hold the meetings was in the clubhouse already available in the backyard of my grandsons, Josiah and Jeremiah. The girls across the street were part of that original vision and one of them is now in charge of the sermon for each meeting. Sometimes she preaches herself and, at other time, she assigns the responsibility to another club member. But, no matter who the preacher is, there is a short Bible-based sermon at every meeting. What else goes on at the Prayer Posse meetings? Each member comes in with a prayer request written out and drops it in the metal container into which has been cut a slot. Then they say the verse they all had agreed to memorize while a dry-erase white board displays the verse to be learned for next time. The sermon follows. Then each participant draws a prayer request from the tin box and prays aloud for that prayer. And, if their prayer has not been answered by the next meeting, they pray for it again and again and again until they sense that God has answered. And, as we would expect, they have had answers to prayer – answers they are excited about. What are these kids doing right that is making their prayers so effective? There are some scriptural principles they are following that we might learn from. First, they have faith. They believe that prayer matters. Sometimes we think we have to have great faith to pray or to see our prayers answered. But, Jesus, reassures us when He says, “. . . if you have faith as small as a mustard seen, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to here and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Mt.17:20-21). The Prayer Posse kids are taking Jesus at His word. Second, they are praying together. They are following another clear teaching of Jesus when He said, “. . . if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Mt. 18:19-20) There is power when God’s kids get together to pray. The Prayer Posse knows that truth. Third, they are praying consistently. The Prayer Posse normally meets twice a week to learn of God and to pray for His help. Paul says to “pray continually” (I Thess. 5:17). And the writer of Hebrews tells us to “approach the throne of grace with confidence that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us I our time of need” (Heb. 4:16). The Prayer Posse has developed a prayer habit that is both continual and confident. Fourth, they pray about the little things. Who is to decide what is important enough to pray about? Paul teaches in his writings that if something is making you anxious, pray about it. If it’s big enough to bother you, it’s big enough for God to be involved in. Paul says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” The neighborhood kids know what they are concerned about for themselves and for others. They take those concerns to God and ask for Him to help. Fifth, they pray until an answer comes. Again, Jesus taught persistence in prayer in Luke 18:1, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” The Prayer Posse kids don’t give up. They keep praying until their prayers are answered much as the persistent widow did in Jesus’ parable. Do you have a problem or concern or need? You could call the Prayer Posse and they would be more than willing to take your request in prayer to God. Better yet, you can approach the throne of God yourself and find answers to your needs, along with the grace, mercy, and peace that are promised in God’s Word. Let’s be inspired by the examples provided by the Prayer Posse kids and become part of the community of believers who pray about everything with consistency, with faith, and with each other. Who knows how our world might be changed! “...and a little child will lead them.” (Isa. 11:6) By His grace, |
