Northstar has a prayer group that meets on Sundays at 8:45 a.m. via Zoom. They have traditionally prayed for our morning services (and most recently our livestreams). This past Sunday, they focused their prayers around the tumult and chaos in our nation surrounding the tragic death of George Floyd.
Here are some of the thoughts from the team that they received through their prayer time on Sunday:
We take notes during our prayer meetings, and we wanted to share some especially poignant images and scriptures the Spirit brought to mind this morning in light of recent events and Pentecost today.
Unity
The Spirit emphasized the word “unity,” especially in light of this global season of scattering and discord. Covid-19 has not only created division with us physically but has created division in our hearts. Also the racial injustice and pain being done against our black brothers and sisters is heaping up so much grief and anger and discord.
We got a picture of a U.S. Map with fires springing up in different spaces. It felt like the Spirit wanting to establish unity and draw people to himself. The Lord himself longs for justice and for us to experience miracles of unity. The Spirit himself is our balm of Gilead.
It felt poignant also that fear and division are both real and present but that the miracle of unity can be focused on. The Lord showed us this morning that unity, although longed for on a global scale, is established first in small spaces. Our homes, with our spouses, our children, our families. Discord is the enemy’s work, and he doesn’t just target the world stage, but especially our own homes and hearts.
Breathe
The word “breathe” came up also. We are in a season in which breath is being threatened and feared to cease (Covid-19, George Floyd’s murder). Pentecost brings the wind of the Holy Spirit, the breath of God – peace, life, air. We have a very present enemy, the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2), who wishes only to steal away our breath of life. This threat is being felt in both the physical and spiritual senses all over the world. Spiritual warfare isn’t in this otherworldly cosmic separate setting. It’s warring in our very air. And Pentecost today shows us the unfailing lovingkindness of God, as he pours out his renewing breath of life in the Holy Spirit without holding back. We are privileged as his people to ask and wait and receive, knowing he is a God who answers by giving.
In this season, we have secure hope in the Holy Spirit. He’s our guarantee for life and everlasting breath. Proverbs 10:25: “When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever.”
We are continuing to pray for our worship services. That the Lord will unify through worship and the presence of his Spirit.
If you’re interested in joining the prayer group on Sunday mornings at 8:45, please email Dylan or Carol Lischau.