Plan Now - 11th Annual Three Days of Prayer
There are times the Holy Spirit takes what some people have been ignoring or only engaging in by rote, breathes fresh life into it, and uses it to pull us into the current of God’s plans for our lives. An illustration of this is the ancient prayer and practice of The Lord’s Prayer.
This year, we’re going to take that ancient prayer and practice of the Church and put it to use in LCMC’s Three Days of Prayer. As we pray together as individuals, congregations, and as one international association, I believe the Lord is going to use what we pray in this ancient prayer to pull us into the current of the plans and purposes He has for us in the present and in the future.
LCMC’s Three Days of Prayer will be on January 3-5. Each congregation or person can structure these days of prayer however seems best. In the past, some congregations put together a prayer vigil – a person signing up to pray in 30-minute intervals – perhaps for all three days or a few hours each day. Others have offered a prayer service at a set hour on each of the three days. Some have encouraged their people simply to pray at work, home, or school, wherever they are, and whatever they are doing.
This year, I am encouraging us all to use the Lord’s Prayer as an outline to pray for our congregations and leaders, for those who don’t yet know Jesus as Savior and Lord, and for our international partners. Praying the Lord’s prayer as an outline can give form to our prayers and provide space for us to pray according to each petition for the churches or people we are focused on that day.
Pray each petition one at a time, then pause and pay attention to what comes to mind. Then pray out of those thoughts or impressions. For instance, pray “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name,” and pause. Then pray words and thoughts of thanks to God for being your Father, for His love, and for His goodness toward you. Glorify His name in prayer.
Then pray the second petition, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” and pause. Think of how you would love to see God’s Kingdom life break in on those you are praying for, and then pray for them. Pray for relationships, emotions, or bodies to be healed. Pray for someone to become aware of God’s love for them. Pray for peace in someone’s life or in a region. And so on. Continue to pray each petition one at a time, pausing to listen to thoughts, scriptures, and impressions that come to mind, and then pray for that church, that person.
No matter how you structure this time of prayer, let’s come together as an association of congregations across the U.S. and around the world to pray. Check out our Three Days of Prayer Resources page to download a sample guide.
Author
Mike brings 40 plus years of leadership and ministry experience, having served in Lutheran congregations in Nebraska (Christ Lutheran Church) and South Dakota (Trinity Lutheran Church) as a youth pastor, worship leader, associate pastor, and senior pastor. He also served as President for The Master’s Institute Seminary for ten years and most recently, as Director for the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC). Mike is passionate about helping leaders and congregations create an atmosphere that is a safe place for developing healthy leaders and disciples in the church, and equipping God’s people for lives of effective witness and ministry in the world. He is the author of the book, Being a Safe Place for the Dangerous Kind, in which he articulates the essential connection between solid theology and healthy practice in mission and ministry.
Mike enjoys sports of all kinds, having served as a high school basketball and baseball coach while serving Trinity Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dakota. He and his wife of forty-two years, Debi, enjoy reading, hiking, and swimming, and Mike enjoys the occasional golf outing. They have five adult children – Andrew Michael, Joseph Ross, Rachel Christine, Stephen Daniel and Benjamin John, and three grandsons – Michael, Isaac, and Lucas. Mike and Debi live in Gilbert, Arizona with their three-year old white Labrador, Maggie Mae.
Click Here For Content Archives