Meditations

Wycliffe World Day of Prayer - 11 November 2021

A waterfall in Costa Rica. Photo: Rodney Ballard

Psalm 105:1-6 (NIV)

1 Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations what he has done.

2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.

3 Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek his face always.

5 Remember the wonders he has done,
    his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

6 you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
    his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

Give praise to the Lord… tell of all his wonderful acts

As we pause to spend a day in prayer we encourage you to spend time focusing on God. Praise him in song, in Scripture reading, in prayer and storytelling. We praise God because he is worthy. We praise him for who he is and what he has done. God invites us to linger in his presence as we praise. Let us try not to rush on to our petitions, but to allow our hearts to be refilled first with awe and wonder. It is in understanding the great power and might of God, coupled with his great mercy and love to us that we will be encouraged and find strength for the journey.

Stories to encourage and strengthen:

• Blessed to Be a Blessing
• A Bowl of Soup and a Step of Faith
• Stepping Up to the Challenge 
• Revival During the Pandemic
• Encountering Jesus in his Word
• Joyful Service in Hardships
• Gunshots in the Valley
• Keeping Encouragement Flowing

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength but you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15 (NIV)

We encourage you to take some time to look to the Lord and be quiet before him. In these days of smartphones and apps, we are often distracted. You may want to use the ‘Be still and know’ exercise described in the helpful resources section.

Maybe you will wait upon the Lord in silence and allow him to speak to you. Others may prefer to use a tool like Lectio Divina or the Examen to help focus the mind. You may wish to use Psalm 1. This is not just a time to hear from God but to respond. Take time to repent, lament and process your experiences of the last few months. Mourn together if that is required and allow God to start to heal you. End your time praying for one another to be strengthened by God to continue on the journey.

Story to encourage and strengthen:

• Finding God in Quietness

Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced

We are now ready to bring our requests to God. Feel free to include petitions for some or all of these categories:

• Governments and nations
• Those most impacted through war, the pandemic, persecution and instability (Romans 8:18-21)
• Those who do not yet have God’s Word (Romans 10:13-14)
• Language communities
• Other Alliance Organisations (Partnering in Prayer)
• Partners
• Our supporters and churches
• Our leaders
• The needs of the Alliance organisation you serve with

Partnering in Prayer

In various corners of the Alliance God has led organisations to incorporate prayer into their communities in creative ways. God has also strengthened organisations, churches and individuals in the Bible translation movement through prayer partnerships. God acted and people responded. Be encouraged!

Stories to encourage and strengthen:

• A Month of Prayer in Hungary
• ‘Partnering in Prayer’ Testimonies
• Searching for More of God
• Change and Growth During a Pandemic
• Fundraising for Bible Translation

Click to return to:

• Wycliffe World Day of Prayer – 11 November 2021
• Helpful Resources
• Having a Virtual World Day of Prayer Event