Week: The Advent Voices - OT Prophecy
We start by pausing and taking a deep breath:
In and out.
In and out.
We remember that God is here, and so together we prepare ourselves to be with God.
Pause
God of rescue and restoration, thank You for Your beautiful mission to save the whole world. Here we are, Lord. Fill us with Your Spirit, and send us so that we can join in with Your mission.
Although he was born with the name Ni Shu-tsu Nee, today’s hero changed his name to Watchman Nee. Let’s REFLECT on what the Bible says about being a watchman.
Read by Liliwyn
Isaiah 62:6-7
O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;
they will pray day and night, continually.
Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.
Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,
Isaiah 62:6-7a (NIVUK)
Born in China in 1903, Watchman Nee started to follow Jesus when he was 17, and he spent his life travelling all over the country, talking with people about Jesus and starting new churches wherever he went.
At that time, it wasn’t easy to be a Christian in China because the government often persecuted Christians, which means they treated them badly, punishing them and even arrested them for following Jesus. Because of this, Christians didn’t meet openly, in big church buildings – they met secretly as small groups in each other’s homes. Watchman Nee set up more than 700 of these ‘house churches’ in which over 70,000 people gathered to pray and worship God in spite of the dangers.
Watchman Nee understood that Christians didn’t need big church buildings or big events to show off their faith. ‘I consecrate myself’, he said ‘to do [God’s] will where I am, be it in school, office, or kitchen, or wherever he may, in his wisdom, send me.’*
Let’s pause and talk about today’s question which is: If we had to meet with other Christians secretly, where would we meet? And what do we think it would feel like?
Watchman Nee talked with people about Jesus while going about his everyday life. Let’s ASK God to help us do the same.
Lord Jesus, we ASK You to help us. Give us the courage, and the right words, to talk with our friends and families about You… whether we’re at school, at work, at home or just hanging out with our friends.
Around the world there are many places where Christians still have to meet in secret, because the government or other groups are persecuting them in some way.
Almighty God, we ASK You to protect those who love You and want to follow You, but live in dangerous places. Comfort them and give them strength. And we pray that many more people will come to know Jesus through their words and their actions.
In 1952 Watchman Nee was arrested and sent to prison. The government told him that they would let him out if he stopped believing in Jesus. He refused and told those who locked him up that the story of Jesus is ‘the greatest truth in the universe’.** Because of this, he spent the rest of his life in prison.
Lord Jesus, we are inspired and amazed by Watchman Nee’s faith in You, and by his willingness to continue following You when things were difficult, even when it meant being thrown into prison. We ASK for a little bit more of that faith – help us to keep following You, even when things get difficult in our lives.
Pause
Let’s put a hand on our heart.
Father God, fill us with Your love. Help us to love You, and everything that You’ve made.
Let’s point to our eyes.
Lord Jesus, help us to see You, and to see others the way that You see them too.
Let’s point to our ears.
Holy Spirit, help us to hear You, and give us courage to do what You say.
* https://www.azquotes.com/author/18200-Watchman_Nee
** http://an-open-letter.org/PDF/CR-Chris_Smith_Watchman_Nee.pdf
Phil lives close to a beach in the north of England with his wife, his daughters and his dogs. Phil works for 24-7 Prayer, mostly doing Lectio stuff, and helping to run Prayer Spaces in Schools. He runs a lot, usually for long distances. He likes curry, mountains, reading books and he still plays Pokemon Go.
Liliwyn is 16 and lives in Kansas City, USA, with her parents, sisters and dogs. She is a good friend and enjoys designing, music, traveling, math and watching American Football (especially the KC Chiefs).
