Being Together, Being with God

Working full time at ICC has its drawbacks. Saturdays become filled with all the activities that can’t be fitted in during the week: housework, shopping, washing, ironing, long walks, meeting up with friends and family. So why did I sign up to pray for an hour on a Saturday?

As I left the office on Friday I was excited – really – at the prospect of being back in College the next day. On Saturday morning as I walked the dog the same excitement was still there and when I drove into the College car park it had not dwindled. I unlocked my office door and hung up my jacket but I was not there to work at my desk. I made my way along to the prayer room.

I had seen the room being transformed over several days by gifted, creative students and as I entered the room there was a real sense of peace and yet a powerful sense of entering a special place. As I sat on a bean bag with my Bible open I looked at the ‘wailing wall’. It was no longer empty but was now filled with many prayers and drawings as previous visitors had made their petitions to God. These are my colleagues that I sit with in the staff room and the students that I see every day. As I joined in these prayers I was encouraged and challenged and added a few of my own.

I returned to my bean bag but this time I faced a collage of photographs. These were striking, familiar, everyday images. My prayers were of thanksgiving for the beauty of nature, for the start of each new day, for the wealth I enjoy, for a safe place to live, for new life, for the Word of God. But I was also challenged to pray for many other situations: the person who had graffitied that wall, those who sleep rough so near to where I am praying, those battling with addictions, those who feel alone, those who dump rubbish in the streets – and those who clear it up. And for the students who are involved in ministry in many of these areas of life. I was continually drawn back to one image. It showed a garage door and the road outside is marked ‘24 hour access- keep clear’ but the access is blocked! This focussed my mind for some time. I have access to God 24 hours of every day – not just during the special week – but how often I block the access. I resolved to change that!

I heard others moving around the room and realised that I had been there for almost an hour and a half. ‘My hour’ was up. As I made my way back along to my office to collect my jacket I felt a real sense of privilege to have spent time with God and to have joined with so many others who have committed to pray this week. What had I missed out on by ‘giving up’ that hour on a busy Saturday – absolutely nothing. Anyway, Asda is open till 10pm!