| Wonderful message from our Dear Friends at National Day of Prayer!
Friend —
“For the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” Hebrews 2:11
The National Day of Prayer was a humbling time—it showed me how far I have to go in the faith, and how diverse the expressions of the Holy Spirit are in each person. I praise God that my heart was encouraged and challenged to keep running forward in the faith!
As a younger believer, I’d be quick to tell anyone who asked that King David was my favorite person in Scripture, other than Jesus of course. To this day I’m still, personally, more of a David kind of person when it comes to authors of Scripture. Give me some poetic prayers about taking the highs and lows of life before the throne of God and I’ll bask in it for days. However, in my view as an immature believer, Paul’s writing came across as rough. Aggressive even. Reading the Epistles was intimidating!
Thankfully, the longer I walk with the Lord, I understand a little more the reason for Paul’s intensity. Churches were popping up, and just as quickly as the Holy Spirit filled them upon their conversion, their sinful natures were fighting back with all sorts of falsehoods, divisions, arrogance, an overabundance of cultural influences in the church, and more. Of course Paul was intense about his admonishments! He wanted to remind his brothers and sisters in the faith to continue in the blueprint from Acts 2:42, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.” These are the core aspects of living our faith day to day. They are essential, and they are to be taken very seriously.
The Lord challenged me in this: Am I doing what it takes to be in the fellowship exemplified in Acts?
In the days leading up to National Day of Prayer and then throughout the events of the day, the Lord was pushing me to the table of fellowship. To a place where I can sit and learn from older brothers and sisters in the faith and let the Holy Spirit teach me to apply my passions and energies to the steady faithfulness and obedience that these brothers and sisters exemplify. When we as believers sit at the table of fellowship we aren’t just at a nice seminar with wise people—we are practicing a spiritual discipline, and through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is there with us too! All wisdom and testimony shared at the table of fellowship finds its root in Christ Jesus.
To be in fellowship, it takes humility to listen, and humility to be open with others to allow them to speak God’s truth into your heart. It can be easy to find disagreements, but God called us to remain at the table with our brothers and sisters and trust Jesus, who is always at the table with us, to be the Prince of Peace in our hearts and in our midst.
Through the National Day of Prayer, God was teaching me to lean closer to Him in prayer that would then propel me into more fellowship, and thus forward in faith. It is only by God’s power and the work of the Holy Spirit that the parts of the Body of Christ are held together, and what a joy it is to be a part of that body!
Please pray with me.
Lord Jesus, thank You that You call us Your brothers and sisters! It is only through Your great love and mercy that we are able to be in Your holy presence. You are the perfect example of drawing people into oneness. You drew a collection of first century misfits together to be among the first to see Your miracles and hear the truth—that you are the Messiah! Lord, forgive us for when we have failed to properly recognize the power of being humble before you and humble with one another. Guide us into times of sharing at the table of fellowship with one another, where we can encourage each other in the faith through testimony and the reading of scripture. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Amy Parks serves as the Communication Coordinator for the ministry. She graduated from Georgia College & State University with a degree in Mass Communication. Amy is passionate about building up the kingdom of God by encouraging others to infuse the Gospel into every aspect of their lives, starting with consistent, strategic prayer. 
After serving as a summer intern, it became apparent that God wanted to use her beyond this summer assignment, and she transitioned into her current role. Her heart’s missional desire is to encourage believers and non-believers alike by sharing powerful stories of God’s power, glory and goodness, while also building up a new generation of Gospel-driven believers among her Gen Z peers group.
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About the National Day of Prayer
The National Day of Prayer tradition predates the founding of the United States of America, evidenced by the Continental Congress’ proclamation in 1775 setting aside a day of prayer. In 1952, Congress established an annual day of prayer and, in 1988, that law was amended, designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May.
To learn more, or to find a National Day of Prayer event in your community, visit www.NationalDayofPrayer.org. |
