It seems to take a whole life time for us to learn how to pray.
Thankfully, God graces us with mentors and experiences along the way that give us clues and guide us into richer and deeper prayer.
A weekend away to a missional prayer conference in New York City was one of those significant moments for Johnny Gordon (Forestview Church, Oakville, ON).
He and other VMC church leaders spent several days together in worship and prayer, along with a thousand other people who earnestly desired God to move in their cities.
Johnny was challenged, inspired, and prompted to continue to learn how to pray.
As a youth and young adults pastor, Johnny talks to lots of young people and he really believes that people are searching for a Saviour.
They’re looking at the world and wanting something else.
They’re rejecting the secular script, knowing that it is not the key to happiness.
With that in mind, Johnny was challenged to pray more – to contend with God.
More than just showing up or reciting a few familiar lines, this is the sort of prayer that intentionally brings people and situations to God.
It’s praying like the persistent widow in Luke 18 – regularly and somewhat insistently reminding God what God has promised to do.
It’s wrestling like Jacob in Genesis 32 – actively and vigorously participating in relationship with God.
It’s praying like Elijah in 1 Kings 18 – risking and believing that God will do great things.
Together with Johnny, let’s continue to learn how to pray as the VMC network of churches.
Photo credit: Jack Sharp (Unsplash)