Prayer Column - May 2020

Prayer Walking

I’ve been writing a prayer walk this last few days. Let me explain. Mostly we pray with our eyes shut, using our imagination to bring people or problems to God. But imagination is helped by information: our vision is sharpened, requests focused and prayers enriched. That's where prayer walking can help. You can pray as you walk, looking at people and places – houses, shops, offices, mills, schools, gardens, parks, open country, or whatever, and also encounter people and get talking to them on the way. All this can prompt prayer.

Near where I live we’ve got prayer walk leaflets for short routes round all the local churches, and a couple for more general use. But of course you can follow any route you like. What’s more, you can physically walk the route you choose, for instance for your daily exercise, or you can imagine your way round while you sit at home, with the aid of a street map if you want to pray for areas you don’t know well. Either way, you can walk alone or with others, though always in the company of Jesus, ministered to us by the Holy Spirit, who is sent to be with us (and within us) – always, from the moment we first believe in Jesus as our Saviour and Lord.

Do leaflets help? Well, they can suggest things to pray for we might not have thought of for ourselves: asking God for blessings on people and places, but also they can remind us to thank God for his goodness to us, and praise him for all that he is and all he promises. Besides, we can be reminded of some of the challenges which come with following Jesus as our Lord through every day of our own lives. You might not think you need reminding, but we all do, over and over again!
See: https://baildonmethodists.org/prayer-walks-2/ for examples.

Roy LS

A prayer for each week

All-knowing Lord, please tell me the places and people you want me to pray for today, whether in my daily exercise or imagination, and bless them. Amen.

All-seeing Lord, please show me what in particular I should be praying for today: what people, in what places, with what problems – and bless them richly. Amen.

Ever-present Lord, within me wherever you lead me and yet at the same before and beyond, please bless all those whom I lift to you on a stretcher of prayer. Amen.

Companion Lord, perceiving all from on high, and yet also with us on the way, please guide all our steps: so we find what’s right, and avoid what’s wrong. Amen.

Mighty Lord, with whom no appeal is ever lodged in vain, please hear our prayer and keep us alert for your answers, however and whenever they come. Amen.

Your own prayers