A Call to Prayer

– the Backstory

LCM Prayer on International Women’s Day 8th March 2025

 

“ What are we going to pray about ? ” I asked and fretted.  It was already end of December 2024 and the International Women’s Day of Prayer is scheduled on 8th March 2025 (“Prayer Meeting”)  and our next meeting with LCM-SWM  Committee was fixed on 15th January 2025. Still, none of us had an idea we were “blur-blur”

 

I was getting increasingly desperate, “We must pray, we must form a Prayer Circle to pray this through”, I said to myself.    So I called each and every lady in the LCM-SWM Committee i.e. Pastor Adeline, Sister Bee Yee, Sis Jeannie Tan-Low, Pastor Jeannie Chee, Pastor Kathrin Zaha-Lee, Sister Linda Wong, Sister Wai Kuan, Sister Yoong Pei, Rev Liong Fong Keng and Sister Nantida whether they would like to form this Prayer Circle  to pray through this matter.  And to ask what does the Lord want us to pray about? “What is on Your Heart, Lord?  Please speak we want to hear You.” That was the cry of our hearts

 

Although this idea of a Prayer Circle was new to everyone (including myself) everyone in a great leap of faith just said “Yes” to the Lord.  The Prayer Circle was formed 30 - 31 December and every single lady prayed.  Some of the ladies in CD2  and CD3 also decided to meet up either physically or through Zoom on the 7.1.2025 to discuss the agenda for the Prayer Meeting.

 

The Prayer Circle started to pray from 30 Dec 2024 and then came 1st Jan 2025, at 4 am I received the 3 phrases (summarised) (1) “Return to your first love” Joel. (2) “Receive the visitation of the Lord”. (3) “Renew your commitment, choose this day whom you will serve.”  When I received these words, I was a bit puzzled especially the reference to Joel. “Shouldn’t it be Revelations on the Church on Ephesus?” I thought to myself.

 

Then on the same morning Pastor Adeline called me and we shared our epiphanies.  Pastor Adeline received these words (1) Consecration: renewal of covenant with the LORD (prioritizing God as LORD in our hearts) (2) March 8 is to be a day of solemn assembly. Means, a day of fasting and humbling ourselves before the LORD (3) The LORD wants to restore the identity of women according to His purpose and design before the LORD.  She said we are to share what we received with the Prayer Circle.

 

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Pastor Adeline posted the above in the Prayer Circle group chat. As I was preparing what to share I opened Joel and then the words Joel 1: 14 jumped out at me  “Declare a holy fast call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God and cry out to the Lord.”  Again Joel 2:15 “Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly;…This ties in with Joel 2:12 “Even now declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

 

Then I saw how both our epiphanies come together where “Returning to your first Love” ties in with the calling for a time of consecration and calling for a sacred assembly in the book of Joel, my heart almost skipped a beat.  The LORD is making His intentions loud and clear.

 

Then when we shared these stories with the Prayer Circle, every single lady had no objections.  Then came 7.1.2025, the meeting was a physical meeting with Pastor Adeline, Sister Bee Yee and myself at my house and Pastor Kathrin Zaha- Lee and Sister Jeannie Tan - Low via Zoom.  All of us started to pray for more than an hour. Then we sat down to discuss, the Umbrella Theme of “Return to your first love” was agreed upon but what are the specific items to pray? What is the agenda? We all agreed that the prayers should centre on 5 items – Individual, Family, Community, LCM and the World.  But at that stage it was only 5 thoughts, what are the specifics?

 

After that meeting Pastor Adeline, Sister Bee Yee and myself continued to have lunch (fried chicken, bee hoon, fruits, drinks and snacks) at my home.  We were just eating to our hearts content and “sembang sahaja ” as if just sitting and enjoying ourselves at the LORD’s table.  Then I brought up the matter again, what are we to pray?

 

Pastor Adeline (full from food and the Spirit) just said “For the Individual, just like Mary lah.” I asked “Which Mary? The one sitting at the feet of Jesus?” She said “No, Mother Mary, Jesus’ mother, just like she prayed “Be it unto me according to Your word, as she surrendered to God.” I started scribbling.  “Then what about the Family?”, I asked. Pastor Adeline continued “Just like Hannah surrendered her son for the LORD’s service.”  As I continued scribbling then it came to me so clearly. “I got it”, I said.  “The Prayers will be in accordance with the prayers of the Women in Bible, they are the forerunners of the Faith and we follow and adopt their prayers and make them our own for the women today.” Sister Bee Yee also concurred.

 

Then the entire Program just fell into place within the next 15 minutes at that table. For the Community, we picked Queen Esther (you have come to such a position for the time such as this). For LCM -   Acts 1 “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father . For the World – the Great Commission. For Praise and Worship, the Prayer of Miriam, Praise as warfare in the heavenlies.

 

It was so easy and yet it was difficult in the beginning. But as a result of the Prayer Circle and commitment to pray, the Program just fell into place and could be drawn up within the next few days (with the comments and input by all the others).  On the 15 Jan 2025 the meeting was powerful and the Program solidified, each person had their own gifting and connection and worked as a team for eg, Pastor Kathrin Zaha- Lee and Sister Jeannie came up with the Poster and Google Forms. Sister Linda with all her connections and knowledge could connect with all the relevant persons concerned. The rest of the sisters played their part by giving input:-. Bee Yee with her planning and organising skills. Wai Kuan translated the letter into Chinese.  Nantida comes in for the OA group and Bahasa Malaysia speaking group. Rev Liong and Rev Jeannie Chee with their spiritual guidance and foresight. Yoong Pei with her youthful exuberance. And many others. Everyone working together as 1 body of Christ.

 

When I revisit the Program again, I am in awe, each Prayer carried the imagery of the forerunners of women of faith.  When we mention those Saints, we all know their stories and the circumstances of their Prayers.  The Prayers come forth from the heart without the need of too many words. They have paved the way for us to show us how to pray and how to walk with the Lord by example.  In the same way let the Prayers just flow from our heart, soul and spirit to God our Father.

 

The Prayers also carry the international flavour as they are Prayers of Women of a different culture in different countries yet they are relevant to every woman today.

 

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More than that, their Prayers cut through time and space, they are prayers of women from a different era, yet their prayers are eternal, time-less and now reverberate in our hearts too.  Those women in the past are now connected to us here today in the 21st century.  Their prayers are alive, they are alive in Christ in heaven just as we alive in Christ today on this side of earth.  Their prayers are life giving and showing us the way we should pray and yet giving us the liberty to make it our own.

 

Practically speaking, for the Prayer Meeting, let the verses themselves become the prayer items.  Let us hold hands with the Women of Faith who have gone before us in this continuum dance that is not limited by time, space, culture and country.  It is like a symphony of Prayers or a dance which are lead/ conducted by our LORD Jesus Christ Himself. This is truly the real dance of life throughout eternity with Our Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit being the centre of it all.

 

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, … looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:1–2).

I write this piece to record and to give account to how the Program came into being and to give all glory to Him.  I hope that this piece will ignite our passion to pray and to attend the Prayer on the 8th March 2025.  Praise be to God!

 

Shared by  SISTER TAMMY OF BLC

 

 

 

祷告的呼召
— 背景故事

马来西亚信义会 2025年3月8日国际妇女节祷告会纪实

 

“我们要为什么事情祷告呢？”我焦虑地问道。当时已是2024年12月底，国际妇女节祷告会定于2025年3月8日举行（以下简称“祷告会”），而我们与马来西亚信义会姐妹妇女事工委员会下一次的会议则安排在2025年1月15日。然而，我们仍然一片茫然、毫无头绪。

 

我越来越着急，“我们必须祷告，我们必须成立一个祷告小组，为此事祷告”-我对自己说。于是，我致电给马来西亚信义会姐妹妇女事工委员会的每一位姐妹，包括Adeline牧师、Bee Yee姐妹、Jeannie Tan-Low姐妹、Jeannie Chee牧师、Kathrin Zaha-Lee牧师、黄夏莲姐妹、黄慧君姐妹、Yoong Pei姐妹、梁凤琼牧师和Nantida姐妹，询问她们是否愿意组成一个祷告小组为此事祷告，并寻求主的旨意。“主啊，你心中所想的是什么？请说，我们渴望倾听。”-这是我们内心深处的呼求。

 

虽然“祷告小组”这个想法对大家（也包括我自己）来说都是全新的，但每一位姐妹都凭着极大的信心对主说“愿意”。祷告小组于12月30日至31日成立，每一位姐妹都参与了祷告。中部教区二和三的一些姐妹也决定在2025年1月7日，通过实体聚会和Zoom线上会议，讨论祷告会的议程。

 

祷告小组从2024年12月30日开始祷告，到了2025年1月1日凌晨4点，我从上帝那里领受了三句话（概括）：（1）“回到你起初的爱”约珥书。（2）“领受主的眷顾”。（3）“重新立约，今日就选择你们所要服侍的。”我对所领受的话语感到有些困惑，特别是关于约珥书的经文，“那不是启示录中关于以弗所教会的经文吗？”我心想。

 

同一天早上，Adeline牧师给我打来电话，我们分享了各自的领受。Adeline牧师却分别领受了以下信息：（1）分别为圣：重新与主立约（以神为首）。（2）3月8日是众人聚集、严肃的日子，意味着禁食和在主面前谦卑的日子。（3）主想要按照祂的旨意和设计，恢复女性的身份地位。她说我们应该把我们所领受的分享给祷告小组。

 

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Adeline牧师在祷告小组的群聊中发布了上述内容。当我准备分享时，我打开了约珥书，1章14节的经文映入我的眼帘：“你们要宣告禁食的日子，宣告严肃会，招聚长老和国中一切的居民，到耶和华你们　神的殿，呼求耶和华。”接着是约珥书2章15节：“你们要在锡安吹角，宣告禁食的日子，召开严肃会。招聚众民，使聚会分别为圣；……”这与约珥书2章12节相呼应：“耶和华说：‘虽然如此，你们应当禁食、哭泣、悲哀，一心归向我。’”

 

然后我看到我们两人的领受如何结合在一起，“回到你起初的爱”与约珥书中呼召分别为圣和召开严肃会的信息联系起来，我的心几乎停止了跳动。主清楚地表达了祂的心意。

 

当我们与祷告小组分享这些领受时，每一位姐妹都没有异议。接着到了2025年1月7日，我和Adeline牧师、Bee Yee姐妹在我家实体聚会，Kathrin Zaha-Lee牧师和Jeannie Tan-Low姐妹通过Zoom会议参与。我们所有人开始祷告了一个多小时。然后我们坐下来讨论，大家一致同意以“回到你起初的爱”作为主题，但具体的祷告事项是什么？议程是什么？我们都认为祷告应该围绕五个方面展开——个人、家庭、社区、马来西亚信义会和世界。但当时只有五方面的构想，具体内容是什么？

会议结束后，Adeline牧师、Bee Yee姐妹和我继续在我家共进午餐（炸鸡、米粉、水果、饮料和小吃）。我们尽情地吃喝和聊天，仿佛只是坐在主的餐桌旁享受彼此的陪伴。然后我再次提出这个问题，我们要祷告什么？

 

Adeline牧师（吃饱了和圣灵充满）只是说：“就个人而言，就像马利亚一样。”我问：“哪个马利亚？坐在耶稣脚下的那个？”她说：“不，是耶稣的母亲马利亚，就像她祷告说‘情愿照你的话成就在我身上’一样，她顺服了神。”我开始记录下来。“那么家庭呢？”我问道。

 

Adeline牧师继续说：“就像哈拿将她的儿子献给主服侍一样。”当我继续记录时，我突然明白了。“我知道了，”我说。“祷告将按照圣经中妇女们的祷告进行，她们是信仰的先驱，我们效法并采用她们的祷告，使之成为我们今天妇女的祷告。”Bee Yee姐妹也同意了。

 

然后在接下来的15分钟里，整个计划就在那张桌子上成形了。对于社区的祷告，我们选择了以斯帖王后（你得了王后的位分，岂不是为现今的机会吗？）。对于马来西亚信义会方面——使徒行传1章（不要离开耶路撒冷，要等候我父所应许的）。对于世界的祷告——大使命。对于赞美和敬拜，米利暗的祷告，以赞美上帝为属天的争战。

 

事情变得如此简单，但起初却如此困难。但由于祷告小组和委身的祷告，计划在接下来的几天内就成形了（并得到了其他人的意见和建议）。2025年1月15日的会议非常有力，计划也最终确定下来，每个人都发挥了自己的恩赐和联系，并作为一个团队一起工作。例如，Kathrin Zaha-Lee牧师和Jeannie姐妹设计了海报和谷歌表格。黄夏莲姐妹凭借她的所有关系，可以与所有相关人员联系。其余的姐妹也通过提供意见发挥了自己的作用：Bee Yee以她的计划和组织能力。黄慧君姊妹将信件翻译成中文。Nantida负责原住民小组和马来语小组。梁凤琼牧师和Jeannie Chee牧师则在属灵方面指导。Yoong Pei则充满活力的协助。其他人也参与其中，每个人都像基督的肢体共同工作。

 

当我再次回顾这个计划时，我感到敬畏，每一个祷告都带有女性信仰先驱的形象。当我们提到那些圣徒时，我们都知道他们的故事和他们祷告的环境。祷告发自内心，无需太多言语。他们为我们铺平了道路，以身作则地教导我们如何祷告，如何与主同行。同样，让祷告也从我们的心、灵魂和灵向我们的父神流淌。

 

这些女圣徒的祷告也带有国际色彩，因为它们是不同文化、不同国家的妇女的祷告，同时也与今天的每一位妇女都息息相关。

 

更重要的是，她们的祷告跨越了时间和空间，不同时代，但这些祷告是永恒的，不受时间限制，现在也在我们的心中回响。过去的那些妇女现在与我们今天21世纪的人们联系在一起。她们的祷告是活着的，她们在天上活在基督里，正如我们今天在地上活在基督里一样。她们的祷告是赐生命的，指引我们应该如何祷告，同时也给予我们自由，使之成为我们自己的祷告。

 

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实际上，对于祷告会，让经文本身成为祷告的内容。让我们与这些圣经里的信心妇女们携手并进，不受时间、空间、文化和国家限制的共舞。就像一场祷告的交响曲，或一场由我们的主耶稣基督亲自带领/指挥的舞蹈。这才是与我们的父、耶稣基督和圣灵一起，贯穿永恒的真正的生命之舞。

 

“我们既有这许多的见证人，如同云彩围着我们，就当放下各样的重担，脱去容易缠累我们的罪，……仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣”（希伯来书12:1-2）。

 

我写这篇文章是为了记录和说明这个计划是如何产生的，并将一切荣耀归给祂。希望这篇文章能点燃我们祷告的热情，并鼓励我们参加2025年3月8日的祷告会。

 

愿颂赞归于神！

 

马来西亚信义会孟沙堂 Tammy 姐妹分享