Altar Prayer...

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to visit a different church. At one point in the service, the pastor called for everyone who would to come forward for "Altar Prayer." For those who may be reading this and don't know what exactly I am talking about, allow me to take a moment and explain. It is truly a wonderful thing.

It is a time when anyone who wants comes forward, usually just after the opening worship songs, and gives prayer requests. Everyone stands there huddled around the Altar, usually a wooden table with the words "This do in remembrance of Me" written on it. After prayer requests are given, someone is called on to "lead" the prayer. Everyone kneels at the Altar of the Lord and waits for the person called on to begin praying. When they do, everyone begins to pray. Out loud. When the prayer time is over, the last person praying simply says, "Amen" and everyone gets up, goes back to their seats, and the service proceeds. Altar Prayer usually happens in what many refer to as "Traditional" or "Old Fashion" churches, but some still observe this time.

When I got to experience this again, I took a moment and just allowed the Lord to speak in the mist of everyone else praying. Almost the entire church kneeling before Jesus, lifting up each other, the lost, the sick and others in prayer. All these people saying what each needed to say to Jesus. Some praising. Some praying for themselves. Pretty much all out loud. It was incredible.

Now, I know you can pray anywhere. I know Jesus is always listening. I also know that it is a blessing to me to hear others pray in the name of Jesus Christ. I know that it is powerful when multiple people come together in prayer. In the book of Revelations, the Bible describes the prayers of the saints as "gold bowls filled with incense." (Rev. 5:8) Since that is the case, this must have been a wonderful, refreshing smell to God.

In Christ,

jon walton