24-7prayer I.L.G. (3 of 4)

VISION.

We stayed at a church this weekend and they just happened to be doing 24-7 prayer for the week. So, because we were there, they asked us to take some of the night shifts that had not been filled. Maybe ‘asked’ is the wrong word. They actually signed us up for them and ‘told’ us that we would be filling them. So, we did. Not to say that we were too keen on the idea. I was in the 1-2a.m. shift and ended up journaling my time away. What came were many thoughts and what I believe is a bit of vision for you all back home. After reading this, I think you’ll know who you are.

TORNADOS. Somehow, since being in England, I’ve heard the topic of tornados brought up time and again. Quite odd, really. It’s not normally the focus of many conversations. But, on several instances in the last week-and-a-half this topic has been mentioned. I didn’t really think much of it until Pete Greig brought tornados into his talk. He tried to use them as an analogy for prayer and I half understood what he was saying. But, with a bunch of mumbled conversations ringing in my mind, I really feel that God directed my thoughts back to you all at NewLife. I may be wrong…who knows.

First off, I feel that this all centers around the idea that has been pounding in my heart for the last week, of being still and knowing God. “Be still and know that I am God.” Keep that in mind. With the little meteorological knowledge that I have, I do believe that at the center of a storm is the eye of the tornado. It is still. It is calm. Yet, it seems to drive the storm. What an oddity this is. Yet, there are two other roles that are evident as a storm comes to be. One is the tornado itself. It destroys. It frightens. It throws you out of normalcy. Yet, this cannot happen without the stillness of the eye. The third role that is played within the storm is the observer. This is someone who sees not only the storm itself, but also the destruction afterwards.

So, what does all this mean? Hopefully not just a bunch of mumbled thoughts. Could God be calling the group of you back home to be the eye of the storm? Individuals driven by the stillness of knowing God. Not caught up in ‘saving’ individuals. Not bombarding unbelievers. Not always doing. But, knowing. I believe that if you start here, a storm will arise. Right now, I think you’re experiencing that calm before the storm. I think there’s apprehension and expectation for what is to come. The Spirit will grow as thick as a funnel surrounding you. There will be destruction. There will be messiness. But, then there will be rebuilding and refocus. And, all the while, on the sidelines, will be the observers. Watching. The storm will pass. Some may not survive. Some may choose not to survive. But, remember that after the storm, after the rebuilding, there will be something never known before. And the observer will see it all.

Like I said, these thoughts were all jotted down late last Friday night in that prayer room in north London. As I finished my hour (which flew by) I started packing my Bible and journal into my bag so I could head to bed. I glanced to the section of the wall that I had been leaning on the entire time. There, written in red handwriting were the following words:

“WHEN AND BE”
When the world sounds loud
When you don’t know where to go
When you don’t like who you are
When your words can’t explain
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD
When you don’t like what you see
When your fears consume your thoughts
When decisions seem harder than they are
When you feel like you just can’t give anymore!
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD
Teach me to know your thoughts
Teach me to know your voice
Teach me to see your face, your eyes and your hands
But must of all…
Teach me
TO BE STILL AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOD.