The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 8 May 2024 – The Need For Corporate Prayer
TOPIC: The Need For Corporate Prayer
READ: Psalm 67: 1-7(NKJV)
- God be merciful to us and bless us, [And] cause His face to shine upon us. Selah
- That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
- Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You.
- Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, And govern the nations on earth. Selah
- Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You.
- [Then] the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.
- God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.
THE MESSAGE:
Our psalm today is a communal prayer for God’s blessing upon the people. The psalm is also focused on the public and relates to the church. It is a prayer for the prosperity of the people of God. The people of Israel in their trouble here, turned to God, asking for his mercy and blessing (v.1). It is a prayer which when answered will lead to the conversion of the Gentiles and bring them into being the people of God. While recording the prayers, the psalmist did not say, ‘God be merciful to me’, “but he said, ‘God be merciful to us’“ (v.1).
This underlines the need to pray with and for others and is in line with how Jesus teaches us to pray – ‘Our’ Father, and not, ‘My’ Father(Lk.11: 2). Corporate prayers bring speedy answer. Jesus says, “Again… if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done…”(Matt. 18: 19). When God answers prayers, and the testimony is shared, other people will praise God and be encouraged in Him (vv. 3-5). Christians should pray that God will bless them and their families with His Presence, love, grace, guidance, salvation, healing power, and fullness of the Spirit, so that the lost might seek the truth of Christ and salvation, and believe in God.
PRAYER: If there are people to pray, there is God to answer.
