Streams of Prayer for 12 December 2021
The Streams of Prayer for 12 December 2021, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. This is made available through Wycliffe Caribbean.
Missions belong to God and the agent of missions is the Church. Please join with us as we pray for Alliance organisations engaged in the Church Participation Stream. We pray also for the Church as it participates in the Bible translation movement.
Prayer
Prayer is an expression of our dependence on God. We recognize the need for the prayer support of the church worldwide to see lives, communities and nations transformed by the Word of God. It is a privilege to engage in God’s mission. Alliance organizations engaged in the Prayer Stream have staff who connect with churches, organizations and individuals to resource prayer for Bible translation movements and those who do not have access to Scripture. Our current theme is ‘prayer’ and the strategies by which organizations engage in the Prayer Stream.
Photo: Marc Ewell
On or near 11 November each year, the Wycliffe Global Alliance, Alliance organizations and partners observe the Wycliffe World Day of Prayer. We take a day to praise God for what he is doing amongst us, pray for the Bible translation movement and listen to his voice. This year the theme is Strength for the Journey. Join us in praying that each individual and organization will find encouragement, renewed strength and vision as they take time away from their normal work to encounter Him.
You who are weary and carry heavy burdens: Global
The Lord Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30 invites us to, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT). Pray these verses over Bible translators around the world. Pray that those who are weary from the stresses in life with the many uncertainties and complexities will be refreshed as they spend time in rest, prayer and reflection.
Image: clipart-library.com
Prayer builds relationships: Asia-Pacific
Praying for one another fosters unity and love. Praise the Lord for deepened friendships among Alliance Organization Executive Directors in Asia-Pacific. These friendships have been fostered by praying for one another during the Area Coffee Chat – a monthly online fellowship of the leaders in the Area. This has also led to partnerships in various projects and programmes. Pray for God’s grace and love to continue to be their example as they serve alongside each other. Ask the Lord to encourage many to participate in prayer that builds partnership and friendship.
Wycliffe Togo staff gather for fasting and prayer. Photo: Wycliffe Togo
Prayer leads to revival: Togo
The leaders of Wycliffe Togo recognize that prayer is key as they seek to obey God as he leads them in his mission. They believe that deep, sincere and prolonged prayer will produce revival and commitment to follow God. Therefore, staff at Wycliffe Togo organize frequent prayer times in which they invite church leaders to lead and to which they encourage young people to participate. They would also like to see more prayer times in the communities where translation is taking place. Pray that God would increase the prayer and the numbers of those involved in prayer in Togo.
Prayer makes a difference: UK
There are times and situations where prayer is desperately needed. That’s where the Wycliffe UK WhatsApp urgent prayer group comes in. On average, once every two weeks, participants in the WhatsApp group receive a prayer request for an urgent situation. It could be for a breakthrough for cross-cultural worker permits in Tanzania, Bibles to quickly go through customs in the Central African Republic, or a replacement laptop to safely get to a translator in Southeast Asia. Through this initiative, God is answering our prayers. Please pray for more people to take up the call and join the group.
Prayer during a storytelling workshop in Tonga. Photo: Elyse Patten
Creative ways to advocate for prayer: Global
Prayer plays an important part in the life of every Alliance organization. Those organizations involved in the Prayer Stream, have a proactive role in encouraging and supporting prayer through prayer programmes, initiatives and involvement in prayer movements. They also distribute prayer information to stimulate and sustain those who pray for Bible translation movements. The pandemic has made it harder for some organizations to meet their objectives, especially where poor connectivity makes virtual meetings difficult. Pray for prayer staff in Alliance organizations to be encouraged, strengthened and to find creative ways to continue to advocate for prayer for Bible translation movements.
Staff shortages in prayer: Global
Many staff in Alliance organizations involved in prayer advocacy have responsibilities in other domains and find it difficult to develop prayer initiatives and resources with the time available to them. In the Global Alliance, several prayer positions are currently vacant. Pray for encouragement for the staff and them to know the will of God and to follow his guidance as they seek to encourage prayer and resource supporters to pray. Ask God to provide staff for prayer throughout the Bible translation movement.
Please pray also for this event that is happening this week:
Pokomo project officer Shedrack Falama. Photo: BTL
Preparing for Pokomo Bible launch: Kenya
The Pokomo project is located in the Coastal part of Kenya. It is run in partnership with Bible Translation and Literacy. Praise God that Bible translation for this project has been completed and project staff are preparing the Bible for publication. The Pokomo translation team is organizing a fundraising run on 11 December, to raise funds for the Pokomo Bible launch expenses. So pray for the planning committee for strength and ideas to execute this task. Also, ask God to protect all involved and to use this event to provide the funds needed.
Let us know if you wish to also receive the “Streams of Prayer” bulletin sent to your inbox. If so, send us an email at webmaster@gmc-mca.org and we will gladly add you to our list.
