Thy Kingdom Come - A Prayer For London, A Year For London

This year London is holding one of the most exciting prayer events ever witnessed! A Year For London will see Christians from hundreds of churches across the capital unite in one of the biggest prayer relays ever witnessed.

Every single second of every minute of all 365 days of the year will be filled with prayer, with churches gathering their congregations to help them contribute 24 hours to the prayer relay.

Already by the end of January 44,640 minutes will have been fulfilled in the prayer relay.

Church leaders from hundreds of churches have already witnessed the extraordinary power of the prayer movement at one event to promote the relay which took place on January 19. More than 1,000 Christians from various denominations, churches, and backgrounds gathered at Emmanuel Christian Centre in Westminster, London, for the 'Year for London' 2007.

So far about 250 churches from across the capital have already signed up to take part in a year-long prayer relay for the capital, and many more have pledged to join the 365 days which equate to 525,600 minutes of prayer throughout the year.

With so much prayer going on, what on earth are all these thousands of people praying for? So much time will be used up in prayer; what issue has made so many people stand up to answer the call to prayer.

It is none other than the Lord's Prayer.

Matthew 6:9-13
"This, then, is how you should pray: `Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"

This, the most famous of prayers, will be the focus behind hundreds of thousands of minutes in prayer throughout this year.

To understand the mysterious power that has moved so many people to leave their homes, to travel to their churches at all hours throughout the day and night, we must see the deep meaning inside this prayer and its connection to this city.

The setting? London. On one side it is one of the busiest and most multicultural cities in the world. But on the other there are also images of poverty, greed and hate. Taking a glance at this city, and how fallen much of what we see is, a question comes to us: surely this is not how life should be? When we realise what God's heart must be like looking at this city, an urgent heart comes to us. Things cannot stay as they are. Something must change. We must change this city!

At the centre of the Christian faith is the knowledge that we do not go on the path of faith alone but with God. When we realise He is our God Immanuel, that He is with us, this is when we realise we must seek the power from above to bring about a true change.

The disciples were taught by Jesus how to pray.

At the start what does Jesus teach us? He says, "Our Father Who Art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name."

Father, hallowed be Thy name. At the start of prayer we need to have this heart to praise our Father, and pray that through our lives the name of God may be proclaimed as holy. We must approach prayer with the heart which says I am the one who will glorify God.

Next, the core focus of the prayer movement is revealed. Jesus tells us: "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

We must pray for the Kingdom of God! This is the focus - Father let Your Kingdom come to this city. As it is fulfilled in heaven let it come here on earth also.

Jesus taught us not to worry about what we will eat or wear, but to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. London is a city that really likes to focus on material things. Eating good food, dressing in nice clothes, there are many earthly things that take our focus away from God and spiritual things. Jesus is not saying that food and clothes are bad, but simply that there is something so much more important. We must first seek His Kingdom, we must live for the Kingdom of God!

Thousands of Christians will be joining hundreds of churches across the capital, from all denominations and backgrounds to unite in dedicating London to God, and to ask that His Kingdom come to this city! Surely this year there couldn't be a more urgent calling for all Christians in London.

To find out all the latest news about the Year For London and which churches you can join each day to pray, please visit www.christiantoday.com/prayer

To sign up your church to join the Year For London please visit www.londonprayer.net/2007