21 Days of Prayer: A Note from our Senior Pastor
Welcome to 21 Days of Prayer!
Each time we invite our church body to step into this journey, our hope is that it serves to unify us, strengthen us, and humble us as we turn our attention to all the Lord has to say. More than ever, we need to be reminded that God has far more to say to us than we could ever say to Him. My prayer is that this journey will settle our hearts, still our spirits, and shape us to be more like Jesus as we seek to have a more “Irresistible Influence” on the world around us.
This morning, I woke up early after a stressful night that followed a full day of planning for 2025. Driving home, my goal was to paint the deck, but the warm sun convinced me to go for a run. Instead, I settled for a walk with our dog, who relentlessly begged to go outside. Walking her can be a bit of a stress in itself—she’s hyper and tends to chase after everything in her path. Many of us might feel that way these days, as so much seems to dart our way.
There certainly is no shortage of things trying to capture our attention: hurricanes, wars, elections. Each one easily could consume our time and emotions if we’re not careful. Rather than let them overwhelm us, these moments should drive us to seek wisdom and insight from God’s Word as we press in, drawing near to Him with hearts ready to listen. In the midst of chaos and noise, we need to remind ourselves daily that our Lord is still on the throne, still in control.
After pouring my first cup of coffee this morning, I grabbed my Bible and journal. I’ve just started reading through the book of Acts, and today’s reading was from chapter 2. It struck me how Peter—a man once full of fear and who denied Jesus—stood with boldness to preach, resulting in 3,000 people responding to the gospel. It’s in this moment we see the early church described:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).
The early church leaned into prayer, seeking provision, protection, and power, and they continually praised God for all He had done and was doing.
We are living in a season of uncertainty, but it is for such a time as this we can daily remind ourselves the Lord is not upset, worked up, or unaware of all that’s happening. Our Savior, the Creator of all things, holds all things together (Colossians 1:17). He is in control.
I believe this 21 Days of Prayer comes at the perfect time for our church. As we look at situations in our world, our communities, and our homes that may feel bigger than us, we must remember nothing is too big for our God to handle. I encourage you to use each day of this journey to remind yourself of who God is, what He has promised, what He has done in the past, and who you are to Him.
In this time, let’s be still before the Lord and listen. As we pray, may we hear His voice more clearly and trust that He is working out His purposes, just as He has promised in His Word.
Praying with you,
Ron