A Solemn Assembly

About 3-minute read

I was looking for a church family that prays.

We would all agree, I think, that prayer is important to the church, the Body of Christ. Jesus did it. The early church did it. We may have even heard that old adage, “The family that prays together, stays together.”

I wonder, though, if you have observed what I have? Most congregations don’t pray together much. At least it kind of seems that way. You know . . . just a handful getting together to pray–and then, most of the time is spent talking about what to pray about rather than . . . praying.

So, I was looking for a church family that . . . prays.

And you’d think that considering the way stuff is going now-a-days, that it would be easy for us to get together for prayer. 

It seems like the world is falling apart. The battle lines between good and evil may be starker than ever before. The battle for purity and holiness individually and corporately is often being lost. The Great Commandments and Great Commission don’t often seem to be on our front burners. And the scales of Lady Justice seem to be way out of balance.

Many have been praying. And–thank you, Jesus–the embers of awakening appear to be flaming in many places.

So, I was looking for a church family that prays. And my prayers have been answered.

Yesterday we gathered for a Solemn Assembly, to be followed by a Week of Prayer and Fasting. Why? “We see God’s prescription in His word for what to do in a time of crisis. We see in the Scripture a call to gather together, fast and pray, humble ourselves, turn and repent from wickedness, and seek His face.”

It was an amazing, well-invested six hours.

I wonder. 

Why don’t we, the Bride, yearn more earnestly for the Groom than we do? What if we eagerly pursued His heart? What if, with focus and intentionality, we would ask, seek, and knock for His will to be done on earth and it is in heaven? What if we would seek His face and turn from our wicked ways? What if we begged Him to be salt and light in us, to have a transformative impact on flavorless, dark, destitute world? What if we stop deceiving ourselves, and would truly listen to the word and do what it says? (Revelation 19:6-8; Matthew 5:13-16, 6:9-13, 7:7:7-12; 2 Chronicles 7:13-14; James 1:22-25)

You’d think that considering the way stuff is going now-a-days, that it would be easy for us to get together for prayer. 

I wonder, if we don’t, is it because we are lazy, or maybe lack faith, or perhaps don’t think it’s that important, or are we merely disobedient?

I was looking for a church family that prays. I’m so glad I found one.

(If you would like to know more about the Solemn Assembly and Week of Fasting and Prayer, email me. I’d love to reflect more with you about congregations being more intentional in corporate prayer.)