Holding the rope for my daughter

En route to Uganda

I’ve just been tracking my daughter’s flight.  She’s heading to Uganda with others from her church youth group.  It should be an amazing trip for them all, as they visit various projects supported by the church.

We’ve been through all the preparations – jabs, buying insect replant and a mosquito net, getting suitable clothing.  And now they’re off, to see what God’s doing in that part of the world.  They will see situations very different from what they are used to.  They will learn so much.  They will see poverty - but perhaps be made aware of their own poverty.

Never let go

How do I feel as my daughter flies off?  OK.  I’m reminded of something that William Carey said when he was preparing to go to India.  His leaders said that his mission to India was like a man going into a deep, dark mine.  William Carey responded, “Well, I will go down, if you will hold the rope.” 

William Carey’s supporters knew that they should never let go of the rope – the rope of prayer.  William Carey went to India; they prayed.  My daughter is flying to Uganda; I pray. 

I thank God for the privilege of prayer.  Is there anything more precious than being able to pray for someone else, to be able to hold them before God and seek His best in their life?

Who are you holding the rope for?

It's happening today

Dreams and Visions

Like me, have you come across the request to pray for ‘dreams and visions’ for those in the Muslim world?  I regularly read this.  And I do pray for dreams and visions.  I pray that God would intervene directly in people’s lives, get their attention through a dream or vision, and show them the right way.

I recently read the following true account, and want to encourage you with it . . .

Finding Life

“A Muslim lady had a dream in which she saw Christ.  He showed her a house and gave her the address of the house, which was in her city.  He said to her, ‘This is where you'll find Life.’ 

The next day, although feeling a little unsure and awkward, she went in search of the house she had seen in the dream.  She went to the district, and then found the street.  When she arrived at the correct house number, she immediately recognised the house as the one she had seen in her dream. 

She tentatively knocked at the door.  A woman opened it.  As they spoke together, the woman of the house said, ‘Oh yes, I've been expecting you.  The Lord told me you were coming!’  The lady went inside, and there she discovered the Life she had been searching for.”

Keep praying

Wow!  Two women brought together through God’s sovereign intervention.  And the Gospel that brings life is shared and embraced.

Perhaps you’ve prayed in a general way for ‘dreams and visions’.  Well, this is what’s happening!  Let’s keep praying!

Korean Prayer Mission

Prayer walking

Not for selfies

Did you hear about the recent Korean Prayer Mission to the UK?  Nearly 400 Christians from South Korea came to the UK to pray.  They didn’t come to see the sights and do the ‘touristy thing’.  They didn’t get lots of selfies in front of famous landmarks.  They came to pray.  They paid their airfares and took time of work in order to come and pray.

Feelings of gratitude

Korean Christians look to the UK with gratitude.  They see the UK church as their ‘mother church’, because it was a missionary from the UK, Robert Thomas, who in 1866 was martyred taking the Gospel to the Korean peninsula.  He was martyred, but from this the church in Korea grew.  And today the church in Korea is strong, has a keen focus on prayer, and is sending out many missionaries around the world.

Heavy hearts

Korean Christians also look to the UK with heavy hearts because of the current state of the UK church.  The Korean Prayer Mission is a response to this.  They want to pray for the UK and the church here – it’s like “coming to help a sick mother”, as one of them said.

The way forward

The 400 South Koreans divided into small teams and spread out around the UK, staying in 30 different towns and cities.  And they prayed – day and night.  Their example is a great challenge.  Do I, do you, pray for the UK, for the churches we attend, and the towns we live in, with the same concern and earnestness that our Korean brothers and sisters display?  They know and demonstrate that prayer is the way forward. 

What’s your response to this?