One of our colleagues at Capturing Courage, is preparing to head off on an overland road and ministry journey within his own country. The preparation for this, in a nutshell, has been two years of struggling, then rejoicing, turned towards the Lord.
At Capturing Courage, the year 2020 began with severe difficulties. The early months of that year called out of us a level of grit and determination and faithfulness, unprecedented. At the same time and as the year progressed we began to walk in strengths called out of us, of song singing to deep, and of a sweet stepping into more of the Lord.
Since that year, all things have steadily progressed. We became houses of prayer.
The difficulties were a preparation for us. Those particular difficulties, which we shared, were a testing, a refinement, a calling forth, a beckoning, unto deeper trust, faces like flint, a walking through the valley of the shadow of death, finding God, right there at all times. We were tested. And we passed.
And now, in sweet next steps, my colleague is leaving house and home, has packed up things, chosen the bit to bring in his backpack, and will be a roving house of prayer within country, town, and lane, upholding his nation to the Lord. This is a practical act of prayer. It is feet and legs, and will and spirit, given to the movement of God throughout his land, acted out by his movement throughout his land.
The one follows the other. First we become houses of prayer in the depths of our being and out of the faithfulness where our heart and the Lord’s heart meet. Then, this spills out of us, we pray, in obedience to the Holy Spirit and her direction over our lives. This is the journey of my friend and colleague; I’ve been gladdened to observe and to affirm what the Lord is doing with and through him.
If we want to impact some sort of change in our nations, our regions, and communities, we do so by becoming houses of prayer, personally. We do the hard work of wrestling through to God. Not because God is distant, but because we may not really believe and we may not really trust; our lives tell the story. The practical outworking of feet on the ground throughout a land demands all sorts of personal reckoning of faith and belief and of surrender and trust.
All this to say, a House of Prayer – Canada, and future houses of prayer in other countries, demand first and foremost a work within us. Where no matter what, our faces are turned like flint toward the Lord and where a deep work happens within. Out of this, from the belly of God, all manner of good things can be birthed.
In accord with the Lord we abide. In sync with God we steward well. And in love with the One who Loves we inhabit all that God may have within us and through us.
We never know what God is doing through us. The ripples of obedience and of this love-walk hand-in-hand with God brings an impact beyond which we will never really know. Our actions, taken, represent our faithfulness, to be sure. And from there, the faithfulness of God we cannot comprehend or contain! May we be vessels overflowing with the bounty and goodness of the Lord watering our lands.
So, we walk in all this. Personally, the Lord has instructed me to also pray across my country. The Lord will lead the timing. It seems that the upholding of a land and nation would require hearts full of love, affinity, regard, with an understanding of her peoples and places. It is all quite practical.
Are we willing to walk in deep love for a people? How might we effect spiritual wholeness and healing if we ourselves are not willing to be a vessel?
My heart is full in the beauty of the Lord. This faith walk is profound, moving, steady. God catches us with his love and the working out of this as we live our lives with him. We give all glory to the Lord for all things. We uphold these journeys of prayer across lands unto the purposes of God. Our trust is acted out, invested, proved upon. May God make something of these, our small offerings, in the name and the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes, God. Make us into Houses of Prayer.
Capturing Courage :: Canada 