One Day Like ThisPete Greig - 8 Mar 2011

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If it’s true that some days in life matter more than others, I think you’ll agree that we’re living though an exciting moment in history right now. One of my favourite bands, Elbow, caught the feeling well in their song ‘One Day Like This’:

‘Stumbling over what to say,
It’s looking like a beautiful day,
So throw those curtains wide,
One day like this a year would see me right.’

It’s a breathtaking time of change in the world and I believe that we’ve been raised up by God precisely ‘for such a time as this’. A great example is the way that 24-7 New Zealand planned to launch as www.karakia.co.nz (‘Karakia’ is the Maori word for prayer) the very week of the devastating Christchurch earthquake. ‘The call to prayer has never been more pertinent,’ says Jay Lucas, who leads the team. ‘God has prepared us to help people cope with the ‘infinite sadness’ across the entire land.’ Meanwhile a remix of the NZ National Anthem, a prayer for the nation, recorded by Jay with his friend Cindy Ruakere has gone viral with thousands of hits, downloads and TV profile. The song is available as a free download from the karakia website.

In Australia, a recent Prayer Room at a Baptist church appears to have experienced a full-on angelic visitation with an ensuing outbreak of healings (more on this soon).  Moving into Europe, a 24-7 community in Macedonia is preparing to plant two more churches this year and the British Prayer Spaces in Schools initiative is set for 300% growth in 2011. In the last few weeks, two massive organisations have approached us to explore the possibility of organising years of 24-7 prayer and if these happen, they will trigger the biggest explosion of 24-7 Prayer Rooms in our entire history.

When things are moving fast, as they are right now, it becomes even more important that we walk closely and talk regularly with the Lord, even though the temptation will be to do the exact reverse. We are seeing such wonderful things, but five minutes spent reading either the Acts of the Apostles or the daily newspaper will suffice to remind us that we are still barely scratching the surface of what the Lord is calling us to be and to do.

And so, at times like these, the Lord calls us to be humble enough to thank him for answers to prayer, but also hungry enough to keep asking for more. The most expensive car in the world still requires regular refuelling if it isn’t to break down. In fact the bigger the engine and the faster you drive, the more petrol you’ll need.

God is calling us to ‘throw those curtains wide’ by praying big prayers with grateful hearts. This isn’t a time for playing safe or thinking small. It’s a time for big vision and holy ambition. That’s why the most powerful thing you can ever do is to call your friends to a season of 24-7 Prayer. That’s why we’re planning a fresh wave of mission teams for July and August and a prayer campaign for the poorest children on earth. That’s why we’re conspiring anew for Europe right now. That’s why the Irish and Welsh are praying continually through 2011. That’s why we’re re-launching 24-7 in the USA. And that’s why this week we’re launching daily devotional podcasts for Lent to revolutionise your walk with God. These 5 minute videos focus on the life and teaching of Jesus. We know prayer changes us, we know prayer changes our world, the challenge then is simple: To pray.  I urge you to subscribe to the podcasts (or watch them on our Youtube channel or Facebook page) , discuss them with your friends and together let’s draw close to Jesus this lent.

There are signs that springtime is coming to the church. As we approach Resurrection Sunday this Lent, let’s get ready to fling those curtains wide and remember how the Holy Spirit once came to a 24-7 Prayer Room in Jerusalem and on that day the church was born and everything changed for good. Just one more day like that really could see things right.