2 Chronicles 20 includes a battle story.  Israel is surrounded by a vast army.  The King calls the people to a time of fasting and prayer.  In the midst of that time he says these words, “Lord we don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”  Why are my eyes on God?  Because I’m convinced that no one else can help me.

Where are we looking?

Psalm 121 describes a similar eye-challenge.  The psalmist writes, “I lift my eyes to the hills.  Where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.”  I often hear people mis-interpret the “eyes to the hills” picture.  If we don’t know Israelite history and culture we just think, of course, when I look to the hills, I’m reminded  of God.  God is up high, majestic, etc.  But that’s not the meaning of this Psalm.  The psalmist is looking to the hills because the “high places” are the places where people built places of idol worship.  So the psalmist is saying, “I have a choice.  I can look to God for my help or I can look to idols for my help.”  His decision?  “My help comes from the Lord.”

Where are we looking?

At the moment, in our community, the direction of our eyes is a vital choice.  Perhaps one of the most encouraging things in our community right now is the growing proliferation of people gathering to pray.  When we pray, we are simply directing our eyes to God, asking him for help.  So I just want to let  you know about some opportunities to direct your eyes — and your voice — to God.

PRAYER-WALKS: From Friday the 11th — Thursday 17, people from Calvary will be prayer-walking the campus. We will follow the format we used for Calvary on Campus, except two changes.  If you want to have the schedule — time and where to meet — go to PrayerWalks.  Friday night leaders from our Calvary Classic gathering will meet at 6pm at the Eisenhower Auditorium plaza to go prayer-walk.  (But feel free to join them even if  you do not attend Calvary Classic.

THIRD PLACE PRAYER RETREAT: Saturday 8-11:30am at Harvest Fields. You don’t have to be in Third Place to join with them and the primary focus will be on praying for PSU and the community.

COMMUNITY PRAYER SERVICE: Tuesday 15th at 7:30pm at Grace Lutheran. This will be primarily downtown congregations so it will have a mainline feel, I will be leading one of the sessions on prayer.  Come pray with friends and co-workers from the community.

CITY CHURCH PRAYER GATHERING: Wednesday 16th at 7pm at Unity Church of Jesus Christ.  This prayer gathering will have a whole different feel and will be a great opportunity to be with the other citychurch congregations.

Please feel free to join us and if you don’t join us, I encourage you to join with someone else and pray.