“Each one (elder) had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” (Rev 5:8)
Acorn sees many different people through its ministry as they come with a wide variety of needs. Some come at a time when they already have life threatening conditions or circumstances for which there is no further medical treatment; and we are asked to pray! You may too find yourself in similar positions of prayer.
Having journeyed over the years with many in this circumstance, we are aware that when the ‘church’ begins to pray it begins, as it were, with an ‘empty’ bowl. A critical need arises, and in faith, and deep compassion, a congregation begins to seek God, and if you will permit a pastoral rather than theological observation, with the intention of filling up the 'bowl'. It has much to do with our experience of God’s presence and power in answering our prayer ‘Your Kingdom come, Your will be done’ as we grapple with the ‘now and not yet’ of Christ’s reign.
So, in this light, we've considered would it not be better to keep the bowl ‘full’, so that in times of need it took but a little ‘refilling’ to cause the bowl to overflow, in terms of praying for healing for others. It is in this light that a ‘bowl’ strategy (healing hubs) first came into being as a natural progression of Acorn's established ministry of praying for, and equipping 100s through the Christian Healing Ministry.
At this critical time, the church needs to rediscover not only its conviction concerning the Christian Healing Ministry, but also its confidence in it.
