Recently, at a meeting of the National Prayer Committee, I found myself feeling overwhelmed. Report after report, DVD after DVD, task force after task force blessed us with the latest updates on how God is at work in and through prayer. So much so, I could not imagine how I could accommodate each of these strategic events into my schedule. And I am a full-time leader in prayer!

As the prayer movement has developed and matured, we now are called to participate in:

National Day of Prayer
See You At the Pole
Prayer for the Persecuted Church
Global Day of Prayer
Fulton Street Revival
Worldwide Mom's Day of Prayer
Seek God for the City
Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk
Adopt-a-Troop
Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem
Year of Prayer for Unreached People
The Presidential Prayer Team

. . . along with denominational initiatives and congregational emphases. Phew!

I was encouraged (praise the Lord for this evidence of fruit!) but I must also confess to overload. As I sat in that meeting, I found myself wondering how it would be possible to promote, let alone actively participate in, each of these worthy initiatives. Every one meets a strategic and critical need. In fact, we need many more focused prayer promotions! Please know, I am not complaining nor am I suggesting that you, a congregational prayer leader, ignore these opportunities. No, I am flagging this situation because I fear too many in our network may be frustrated by the same dilemma I faced and may respond ineffectively or even give up.

This expanding calendar is to be welcomed; affirmed as answers to our prayers for a prayer saturated Church. As leaders, we must prayerfully seek the Lord's discernment and direction as to which calls to prayer we are to heed.

As leaders we do well to be full informed of the many and varied opportunities. As prayer leaders, we must respond personally to those God's Spirit has assigned to us for our personal prayer life. As prayer leaders, we are especially called to alert our pastor and ministry leaders, so they become aware of resources they can utilize to saturate their ministry. As prayer leaders, it is our responsibility to expose our church family to prayers that take us beyond our four walls, beyond our insulated lists, to needs across the street and around the world.

Our response must be to first thank the Lord for this explosion of new plans and projects, then to inquire as to which ones are assigned (and not assigned!) to our specific ministry. (For more help, go to Jon Graf's article Making Sense of All Those Days of Prayer, which appeared in the December 2006  Prayer Leader OnLine.) It seems to me that may be why the Holy Spirit is filling the Body of Christ's calendar with challenging new initiatives of prayer. It is precisely

what we have been asking Him for!

Blessings,
Phil