Why do we pray? More specifically, why do you pray? The obvious
answer is that God commands/tells us to, in Matthew 5 (for those who persecute
you), Colossians 4 (continue in prayer), I Thessalonians 5 (pray without
ceasing), and many other places in the Bible. Being obedient and following God’s
Word is a great reason to pray, but one of the great aspects about God is that
the things he commands us to do are for our own well-being. Prayer is no
different.
Our family has been part of the Shiloh Prayer team for
several years. The Shiloh Prayer team supports the work led by David and Joan
Pierce in establishing a church in Kansas City, Kan. The great part about being
on this prayer team is that we get to see our missionaries face-to-face during
our prayer meetings. So why join a prayer team?
- You get to participate in God’s mission – You get to see first-hand how God moves in accomplishing His mission.
- It deepens your appreciation for God’s servants – in the case of Shiloh, being able to pray for the Pierces, and everyone serving at Shiloh, is a privilege and an honor. When I see how much Dave and Joan are personally investing into living out the Great Commission at Shiloh, it makes it a joy to participate by praying for them. Their humility and focus on others is a Biblical example for everyone on the team. They both constantly ask those on the prayer team for things that they can pray for us about. They are leaders who lead by serving.
- It focuses your attention on the things of God – Modern life is full of distractions. Being part of a prayer team focuses your attention back on God, where it should be. I find myself praying for Shiloh during breaks at work, while eating lunch, driving home, etc.
So what does being on a prayer team require? Not much. The ability
to show up for semi-regular meetings throughout the year and a willingness to
pray is about it. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?
Service at Shiloh
