Hello subscribers! You subscribed because you’re interested in what may be happening at Groveville UMC…right? Well, since you asked I will tell you about our prayer ministry. A little over a year ago a small group of brothers and sisters in Christ came together on a Thursday evening to not only lift up the prayers of our church, but to make sure they are cared for.
I had been convicted (and the bible confirms) that God has no need of our prayers. It’s utterly foolish to think that the God of the universe needed us to tell him who needs help. He knew long before we did. So, why do we pray? Looking to ourselves, its to enrich our relationship with God. Having a conversation with Him, hearing His voice and seeing how He responds to us. When Christ died upon the cross, the temple curtain split in two from top to bottom- Matthew 27:51. This was the curtain that separated what was called the holy of holies from the rest of the temple. Read about it here. The place that could be entered only once a year by a priest to make a sacrifice. This tearing of the curtain was not a violent act. It was (and is) an invitation for us to enter and to speak directly with God. No longer was and intercessor like a priest needed. God invited us to a deep and direct personal relationship with Him. Our prayers are part of this deep personal relationship.
Forgetting about ourselves, why would God want us to pray? Many reasons…and I invite you to comment about why you think God wants us to pray. For me, it is to be mindful of others just as He is. And to that end, it was no longer sufficient to add a name to a prayer list and forget about it. We needed to pray and follow along on an individuals journey to health and well being and stay with them until we could give God our thanks and praise for His answer to our prayers. This lead to a prayer ministry that included reaching out…checking on people with cards and phone calls and in a cyclic way deepening our faith and our personal relationship with the Master of the universe. Thank you Lord Jesus for sending the Holy Spirit to move us to take on this ministry!
Perhaps you would like to join us in this ministry. We meet on Thursday nights in the Church at 7:00PM. We review each need and update it where possible and having done so, join in unison prayer, asking God for His mercies and His blessings.
If you can’t make it for our meeting, but you have something to say or a need to lift up, send us an email at prayer_ministry@grovevilleumc.org.
Thanks and God Bless you.
Mike Golden