The Virtual Prayer Room Knowing via Facebook that our church in Coleraine was having a day of prayer this Good Friday, we signed up for an hour each in the early morning, knowing that it would not be possible for us to actually be there in the prayer room in 1st Coleraine Presbyterian. My own “prayer room” ended up being a magnificent cathedral - overhead a vaulted ceiling of blues and greys and scurrying clouds - underfoot a sandy cove and the before me the roaring foaming Atlantic, and regiments of seabirds, hundreds of them, all standing in their ranks on the beach facing out to the wind. And, instead of a stained glass window, I had for vision a sudden glimpse of a near perfect rainbow through the skiffs of rain that soaked me - a myriad glistening drops each one perfectly reflecting a spectrum of radiant light - God you are amazing!
And so to the prayers, gathered up in time and space before the throne of God together with the prayers of whoever it was happened to be in the Prayer Room in Coleraine at that particular time of the morning
- First of all - wonder at the wisdom and mystery of God that would turn the gruesome spectacle of the cross into the most amazing triumph of good over evil
- Secondly - confession that HIS disfigurement, of which Isaiah spoke - "his form was marred beyond human likeness" (Isa 52:14) - was brought about because of MY sin and shame.
- Thirdly - in thinking about our community here and our church there, that as we each express the life of Jesus within us, the rejection which He suffered and that is ours also, we would reveal the inner attractiveness of His spirit.
- Fourthly - that God would awaken people both here and there to spiritual realities, empowering them and enabling them by His spirit to walk as Jesus did.
- Fifthly - that the leadership in 1st Coleraine, Peter Fleming, the elders, leaders of youth, of Alpha etc and the leadership of our Church plant here in Parque das Nações, Lisbon, would equally experience God's grace and power as you, Lord, continue to grow Your church.
