Lord, Hear Our Prayers!

Revivals have never been dominated by eloquent or clever preaching. Much more time has been given to prayer, weeping, and repentance than to sermons. In the “Prayer Meeting Revival” of 1857-59, there was virtually no preaching at all. Yet, some say it produced the greatest harvest of any spiritual awakening in American history! How did this happen? A quiet businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier started a Wednesday noon prayer service in New York City, and six people showed up to pray. Soon more gathered; there were twenty, then forty, then they decided to have daily meetings, then it spread to other churches. Within months the scene was replicated in Boston, New Haven, Philadelphia, Washington, and the South. By the next spring 2,000 gathered daily in Chicago to pray, where a 21 year-old Dwight L Moody dedicated his life to Christian service. Do you really think that what we lack today is preachers, books, Bible translations, or doctrinal statements? No, what we really lack is the passion to pray…to call upon the name of the Lord until he opens the heavens and shows himself powerful. This Thursday is the National Day of Prayer. Take the time to gather with others for a time of prayer…you never know just what God might do!