The Call to Pray and Obey: Stories from University Students in the USAmarisa chud - 21 Nov 2006
"Part of me wanted to leave and just let someone who was 'good at intercession' come pray in my place, because maybe they would usher in revival or something," wrote a student taking part in the University of Georgia-Athens's 21 days of 24-7 prayer earlier this month. Her testimony of discovering God's heart for her city as the two-hour prayer slot continued is just one of many as these students prayed and put feet on their prayers.
The University of Georgia-Athens is the home of the Bulldogs, for you college (American) football fans! It's also home to a marked acknowledgement of the goddess Athena, which can be felt in this city with the high-standing intellectual feel of what is a highly influential university. Athens, GA calls forth memory of Paul's journey to Athens, of the many gods that the Athenian people were subject to and the heavy sway the philosophical input of their age had on daily life. Here in the United States, we have our own Athens in Georgia: lifting up the false hope of humanism and of self-reliance. In the midst of this setting, though, there is a clear and evident movement of God on the hearts of many young adults who are partnering with Him to believe for a better story than humanism to define them, their campus, and their city.
Marisa Chud, who works with 24-7 Prayer USA, found herself on a plane in October headed for Athens to connect with and learn from UGA students who were completing 21 days of 24-7 prayer for their campus. As a group of friends (calling themselves "Tribe Issachar", they diligently storm heaven on behalf of their city and campus. Over the course of the last year, they have mobilized three specific waves of 24-7 prayer, with this last "24-21" spanning most of October.
"Most of my time there was spent with students who are believing God for true transformation on their campuses," commented Marisa. "The first night was an Acts 2 scene. A bunch of girls and myself packed into a living room to share what God is doing on campuses across the U.S." That week six campuses in different parts of the nation were praying 24-7! "We had a powerful time of prayer together for women and for African American women specifically, as well as for campuses nationwide. God has burdened us that this movement of prayer must represent the diversity of the body of Christ - male and female, African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian American, etc."
21 days of prayer...
After their time of prayer, Marisa and the girls gathered with the wider community to share stories of all that God had done throughout the 21 days of prayer. It was powerful to hear stories of people meeting with the Lord in the some of the most dynamic experiences of their lives. Here is one account of a female student who spent two hours in the prayer room:
"When the 21 days of prayer began this year, I had no heart whatsoever for the city of Athens. I liked the idea of people praying all the time, so I signed up for some time slots and showed up with nothing. Part of me wanted to leave and just let someone who was 'good at intercession' come pray in my place. Maybe they would usher in revival or something in the time that it took me to memorize the routes of the meter maids as I stared blankly at the streets downtown. The daytime Athens scene left me wondering if there was anything wrong with the city at all. I started to think that maybe we were making too big a deal out of praying for our city. Everything looked fine. When the second hour began, a friend joined me and the sun began to set. We began to worship God together. I don't think I have ever sung that loud (thankfully the windows were closed) and I felt my heart change completely. I wanted frat boys on my campus to be free. And, I don't usually like frat boys. On that night He opened my eyes for that hour, and I saw what was really going on downtown. We don't completely understand God's heart for our city now, but sitting at His feet can't hurt- even when we think nothing is happening. As a friend told me once, "Being with Jesus is intercession".
Their prayer takes on feet
Each Thursday night, the guys and girls of Tribe Issachar come together to pray before hitting the streets of Athens. From midnight until 2 am, the group heads to a local strip club called Toppers, a place they believe illustrates deep loneliness and brokenness in relationship. The guys stand outside the club, with bandanas over their eyes as a few of them read Scripture aloud. While the guys take this place on a wall near the club, the girls pray for the young women who are trapped in the confines of this type of entertainment. They are seeing God write stories of men and women coming to Jesus, of suddenly being dissatisfied with the outlook and emptiness of their lives.
Forest is a DJ at Toppers. Recently, one of the guys from Tribe Issachar met him outside the club. He told them that he knows that the environment that he works in is wrong and harmful, not only to the girls who work there, but to him as well. "You know, I can see myself where you guys are in 10 years or so, I'm starting to bend this way.", said Forest. As they continued chatting, a petite little blonde walks up and hugs Forest. She stared at the ground, not wanting to interrupt, but enough of her face was visible to allow the dark eyeliner and harsh makeup of someone who works on a stage to be seen. Eventually she looked up and one of the Tribe guys asked her name. "Carrie," she replied.
"How are you tonight, Carrie?"
"Pretty good. I'm running an errand to go get cigarettes for a friend inside. I'm a dancer here.", she responds as she reverted her eyes back to the pavement.
"Carrie? My friend Matt and I were just wondering if there is anything that we can pray for you about."
Suddenly her eyes peered out from underneath her blond hair. A look of surprise registered from under a brow that is still mostly parallel to the concrete. She studied the boys for a moment to see if they're serious. After deciding that they're serious, she offers, "My kids." After she finished telling them about her kids, the Tribe guys asked her, "Can we just pray right now for them?" Again, surprise lit up her eyes and she smiled and enthusiastically said "Yes!" With bowed heads, the guys called out to the God who made Heaven and earth, asking that He would watch over these two special children; that they might be assured of the love of their mother, and also, that they would be even more assured of the love of their heavenly Father. Carrie walked away beaming as the guys continued to pray and read the Bible on the wall opposite Toppers.
We love the foolishness and power of prayer that leads to action. This is how God loves to work, out of the dependency and brokenness of His children. He is doing a mighty thing in Athens at the University where these students are persevering in intimacy with Jesus and involvement in their surroundings!
