Hope Radio and other Christian media and leaders in Australia are promoting this call to prayer for Covid 19. Asking Christians from every church to set aside time at 19:00 hours to pray for the end to this crisis. I have been asked to provide prayers and prayer updates every day for this call. I am glad to so so because I know of nothing more crucial and important than prayer. One thing that this virus should teach us is humility. We need to cry out to the Lord. I remember people mocking us when we called for prayer about the bushfires. Premier -Sydney’s record rainfall is an amazing answer to prayer
As so often needs to be stated…we don’t believe in prayer as magic. Or as some kind of religious ritual which if we do hard enough will get its reward. We don’t actually believe in prayer – we believe in the God to whom we pray. Because he is a merciful God, we ask for mercy; because he is a gracious God we ask for grace; because he is a forgiving God we ask for forgiveness; because he is a healing God we ask for healing.
If you wish to join in this prayer then you can get the daily updates, or sign up to receive them, on the Christiansunited website. I will not be posting them every day on this blog.
The following is the introduction….
WELCOME TO PRAYER UPDATES
Each day we will provide you with points for prayer, encouragement from Scripture, reasons for thankfulness, and updates from all over Australia and the wider world.
We ask you to pray for 19 minutes at 19:00 hours for the Lord to spare us from the Covid 19 virus. This is not a gimmick. It’s a simple way for us to remember to prayer together systematically in unity for his Glory and our salvation.
Prayers are compiled thanks to David Robertson.
Many of us will know the famous call to prayer of 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people…” But are we aware of the context?
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”
This plague has not just been sent to God’s people – it has come upon the whole world. But the principles still apply. We need humility, prayer and repentance. That is what this call for prayer is about – humble, repentant prayer. But we can’t go to the temple? Indeed. But as we know in the New Testament the Lord’s people are his temple. This call for prayer is for the whole Church of Jesus Christ – whatever the denomination – for all who call in truth upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is because of that Name that we know God listens….look again at that extraordinary promise “my eyes and heart will always be there”. The Lord watches over you. The Lord loves you. The Lord keeps you. We pray not out of fear, but in response to those wonderful truths.
We are also in uncharted territory in terms of the economic and political fall out. Millions may lose their jobs, pensions and financial security. As always in these events it is the poor and especially those in the ‘gig’ economy who will lose the most. This is why we need to call on our Heavenly Father at this time and also pray for wisdom for our political and economic leaders.
Finally remember the Church of Jesus Christ – that we may shine like stars in the sky as we hold out the Word of Life in the Darkness.
Quantum 86 – Coronavirus Special
Three Bible passages to Replace Fear of Coronavirus with Hope in God
Sharing this in Canada,where there is much need for humbly coming before the Lord seeking forgiveness and mercy
How refreshing that David has touched on humility and repentance for this time. Most calls to prayer thus far by well meaning Pastors, Ministers and others have been about praying for the government, health workers and others on the front line and quite rightly so. But is that it? Is it just chance and accident the Corona Virus is affecting us and the world? The Lord himself warned about these times in Matthew 24 as did Paul to Timothy in his 2nd letter chapter 3. Read them and see for yourself. Familiar? Now read 2Chronicles 7 vs 14 as quoted above.
God is speaking very loudly and we need to understand we are NOT as in charge of our destiny as we think we are.
So let us all in humility, pray seeking God’s face and turn from our wicked ways, He will hear us, forgive our sin and heal our land. The Almighty God keeps His promises.