Thursday, January 8, 2009
Form and Essence
(disclaimer: shujing can't remember exactly the whole thing in exact sentences cos she was playing the piano... so some information might be incomplete or not true in its whole entirety)
- the essence of godliness is power.
Form, in the dictionary, is also known as "Fashion". Fashion changes with time and seasons and influences. Essence, on the other hand, is the "to be" not just the "to do". It's a lasting vision and passion; the sensation you get in your bones when you feel like giving up but you know you can carry on. :)
When we come for Wednesday prayer, we want to develop the power, and the essence of prayer is really simply touching God. :)
Dr Cho, the pastor of the biggest church in the world, spends 6 hours in prayer every day (recently he considered his own standards to have fallen when he spent 3hours on his knees praying, and another 3 hours standing), and his church has an overnight prayer meeting every friday. He said the church can be built so big, through prayer that leads to a consistent revival. Revival might not have to be the big kind conference and thousands get saved, but when you decide to pluck up your courage and talk to your friend about Jesus, that's already a revival. When you decide to be a good testimony at home, that's a revival. :) And that's also the power, looking beyond the form of things. :)
When we pray long and loud, it can be just a form of religious duty, or it can truly be a form that is an expression of essence of prayer - communication with God that consists of passionate and persistent prayer that moves the heart of God. :)
Let's pray more... so that we go beyond the form of religious duty of that 15min per day, to really coming to know God and seek Him and go into that essence of the power of prayer. Communicate with God! :)
Labels: Prayer Hub