Prayer To Make The Most Of Another Period Of Lockdown

LOCKDOWN

Well, whether they are calling it "red zones" or lockdown - a complete lockdown or some form of limiting social movements, these are days of diminished ability to move about.  Some watching this  - like my friends in Belfast -- have been in lockdown for weeks already.  Others like many friends in Southern Ontario have just gone into lockdown.  It’s usually starts as 14 days – 28 days in some places – but can be easily extended.  We pray that the virus case numbers will  go down quickly and that people will be co-operative in these times where there is no perfect solution to these desperate situations.

People are using these periods of lockdown in many different ways.  What are you doing?  What worked the last time?  What didn't?  Most of all, have we asked God how He might help us use this time well?

I think we mentioned it once before but near the end of his life the Apostle Paul was unjustly imprisoned for years.  That was a period of lockdown that was harsher and lasted much longer than what we are likely to experience – especially since some good vaccine candidates appear to be emerging.

One thing Paul used his time of lockdown to do was to pray for his friends.  Are we?

Paul prayed for his friends.  Are we?

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:3-6

Paul didn’t let his circumstances dictate his perspective on life but rather he allowed God to widen his perspective so he saw himself in the middle of God’s plan of spreading the good news of the Gospel.

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.  Philippians 1:12-14

Paul took time to observe, to listen, and to learn, and to make use of what God was teaching him.  You’ll remember that he wrote:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

Let’s pray for ourselves to be humble and joyful students of the Lord during these times of lockdown:

Loving God, we are so grateful to know You during these difficult seasons of life.  You provide comfort and that wider perspective that is so easily lost with the ups and downs of daily pressures and unexpected changes.  We pray for eyes to see as You see.  There’s so much more going on than we currently know and You are willing to share every single piece of information with us that is useful as we navigate these days, one at a time, in Your care. 

We pray to be those who honour You and who think of others.  Help us, as Paul wrote so many years ago:

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too.  Philippians 2:3-4

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Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.  Philippians 1:27

With many unknowns going forward we also pray with Paul that we will conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.  Help us to stand firm in one Spirit, stiving with others together as one for the faith of the gospel.

And we pray with Paul that: 

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.  Philippians 1:9-11