Pray for Five (April 2018)
In May, there is a period especially for the church to focus on praying, which we have marked over the last couple of years at Holy Trinity. It is called Thy Kingdom Come (taking the words from the end of the Lord’s Prayer) and this year it will be held 10th to 20th May. There will be more information about what is happening in Blacon and Chester, and at Holy Trinity during that period. Whether or not we go to one of the services, or one of the special events held during that time, every one of us can pray. Prayer is such a powerful tool Christians have, because it calls on the Lord of heaven and earth to join with us in care and concern for the world. When we think about prayer, we want it to be straightforward. It is no use to us if it is complicated, or so remote that we cannot connect with it. We also want prayer to be something that we can each of us actually do, every day. It is no use placing demands on ourselves that are impractical, or out of our range. And we also yearn for our prayers to be answered – after all, that is why we pray! So, a summary of what we want of prayer is for it to be simple, practical and effective. Prayer is most often effective when it is targeted at particular things, or particular people. This year, we are all encouraged to ‘pray for five’. In other words, to identify five people (could be family, could be friends, could be acquaintances) – five people whose lives you feel need to be particular touched by God. It could be someone who does not currently have faith in God, or there could be some other reason. We do not have to tell anyone else who those five are, or why we are praying for them – God will know, and that is all that matters. If you are unsure who your five are to be, ask God to help you choose. Praying consistently for people takes some discipline. Here are five easy ways to pray for five people regularly (courtesy of www.thykingdomcome.com )– choose one that suits you best: PIECE OF STRING
You might like to use the following prayers as you pray for others:
Choose 5 people to pray for during Thy Kingdom Come, and write their names here: Tina Upton |