My name is Gina Williams, and I am no stranger to many in the music scene as a singer. Vocalists cannot afford to get sick; when you’re sick, it can really jeopardize your financial position. The other night at prayer meeting, after someone prayed that God would heal me, the cold started breaking up right away, before he said amen. The swelling in my right lymph gland was gone before I went to bed, so I could sleep for once.
I have a friend on the prayer team who consistently prays for me (and others) and I for her (and others). It would be impossible for me to count how many prayers have been answered in the affirmative since I have been not only praying but also going to prayer meeting. I would like to share something that has been a burden on my heart.
Prayer meeting. What comes to your mind? Little old ladies with worn knees? Old-fashioned songs that you’re tired of? Time taken away from more important things…like (ahem) making money? Hmmm.
It’s common for people to have the impression that nobody goes to prayer meeting, but that does not mean that this cannot or should not change. I would like to address two things that have become pretty clear:
1) “It’s just another church activity.”
People in church tend to see prayer meeting as just another church activity. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Prayer meeting is God’s meeting.
2) “I already go to church on the Sabbath. Why do I need to go to prayer meeting? I have other things to do.”
This I can empathize with. I am one of those busy, borderline workaholic individuals and, sadly, proud of it. I love to work. But the attitude of a workaholic who cannot “afford” to do anything else does not reflect the generosity of God. Spending time with God at any point time is never a waste of time. The more we understand this, the more we will grow as Christians. Since that sounded so cliché, I’ll put it this way:
God asked us to not only return His tithe—it’s really his 10 percent commission (most managers get considerably more, by the way) for giving us the health, strength, and intellectual acumen to do anything anyway—but also to give offerings, which we (sometimes conveniently) forget.
Tithe + offerings = balanced life.
And your financial life, biblically speaking, reflects the spiritual life. Sabbath, like tithe, is already His. Where else and how else are you giving back to Him?
Sabbath + prayer meeting = peace.
The more you get to know God on a personal level, the more you will spend time anyway, and you’ll find yourself praying everyday, going to Sabbath school, etc. You change. It’s really that simple.
So in short, just because Wednesday night is not the Sabbath—and I know we all need to earn our living, so we can all make the excuse that we don’t have time any other day of the week—does not make it any less important. Prayer meeting is God’s prayer meeting. If you want to receive blessings from Him, you must participate by connecting with Him. Leaving it to “the faithful few” to do it for you will not change you, because it’s one-sided.
In prayer meeting, you pray for one another. You give someone else the gift of your prayer as God impressed it upon you. That’s when the miracles happen. I find that these miracles do not happen as often when you are praying for yourself by yourself. You need to trust Him with your offering of time. Trust that He cares and that He will take care of you and your needs.
Contributed by: Gina Williams