Tough Questions: Why hold a prayer vigil?
Reflections
“In the second chapter of Acts, we find Jesus’ followers waiting, praying, hoping and expecting God to do something new. On that same day, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and three thousand people were added to their number,” says The Rev’d Charlie Lacey from St Andrew’s, Springfield
Prayer is powerful. In a way that we may never fully understand, God has woven prayer into his method of governing the universe. Prayer and reading God’s word go hand in hand. Charles Spurgeon is said to have remarked, “When asked ‘What is more important, prayer or reading the Bible?’ I ask, ‘What is more important, breathing in or breathing out?’” Both activities, if they can even be viewed as two separate activities, are essential for anyone who seeks a close relationship with God.
However, maintaining a healthy prayer life is easier said than done, and many Christians struggle with this most basic of Christian disciplines. To reignite our church’s commitment to prayer, we will hold an all-night prayer vigil immediately following our Ash Wednesday service. The goal is to have continuous prayer throughout the night, with congregation members dedicating anywhere from one to nine hours in prayer at a central location. Participants will be able to pray individually, or with others, and resources will be provided to help them explore new forms of prayer.
Prayer vigils are not a way of “twisting God’s arm” with our pious endeavours, rather they provide an opportunity for more focussed and intentional prayer. Jesus prayed through the night before choosing the twelve disciples, demonstrating the importance of taking time to seek God’s guidance before making important decisions (Luke 6. 12-13).
The power of unified and concerted prayers should not be underestimated. During the Second World War, in the days leading up to the evacuation of Dunkirk, a colossal military disaster seemed inevitable. German forces were on the verge of annihilating the British Army. However, on the 26th of May 1940, at the behest of King George the VI, a National Day of Prayer was held. The nation devoted itself to pray in an unprecedented way, whilst a daring rescue operation was unfolding. In the end, 338,000 British and French troops were safely evacuated. Prayer changes things.
Getting up in the middle of the night to pray, as some of our parishioners will be doing, may be inconvenient, but it reminds us that prayer is of the utmost importance. Beginning the season of Lent with a prayer vigil sets the tone not only for the season, but for the entire year.
In the second chapter of Acts, we find Jesus’ followers waiting, praying, hoping and expecting God to do something new. On that same day, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and three thousand people were added to their number. Two thousand years later, earnestly seeking the Lord in prayer can still lead to spectacular breakthroughs.
We approach this prayer vigil in the hope that the Lord will revitalise our collective prayer life, deepen our relationship with him, and guide us toward the plans he has for us.
First published on the St Andrew’s, Springfield website in March 2025.
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