Prayer Fuel

This is it, the end of our prayer journey! Today is the last day of Ramadan fasting, and tomorrow is Eid al-Fitr (Orozo Ait in Kyrgyzstan), the feast of celebration that marks the end of Ramadan fasting. On this day special prayers are said and Muslims visit family and friends to celebrate. They often wear new or special clothes and are full of greetings and blessings. After a month of fasting and longing for the feast, the day is greeted with joy.

Here is a point where we can relate. Fasting and longing for the feast. Jesus assumed that fasting would be an expression of longing for the return of the bridegroom and the feast that comes with his return. Jesus often spoke of the good news being spread to all, inviting them to the wedding feast, but needing the appropriate clothing (Matt 22:1-14). In Revelation 19:6-9, we see a picture of this great feast.  A great multitude, the Bride from every tribe and tongue, will be clothed in white and will rejoice as they feast with the Bridegroom. The time of fasting is over, the time of feasting has begun.

Today as we come to the end of Ramadan prayer, take a few moments to consider the longing and fulfillment that comes with Ramadan fasting and now its feast. And consider how you long for the great Wedding feast that will come and the fulfillment that will be yours on that day.

Photo: tilda.com

Exalting His Name

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:6-9, ESV)

Praying for the Harvest

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. 

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt 22: 1-14, ESV)

Pray that many Muslims in Kyrgyzstan will hear the call on the highways and byways and come to know the Bridegroom and join us there in that feast.

Praying for the Church

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. (Matt 9: 14-15, ESV)

Pray for the church in Kyrgyzstan to experience renewed longing for Jesus and His return, and to fast and pray in longing for Him.

Pray for this vision of the multitude from every tribe and tongue to capture the hearts of the church and that with renewed faith they would engage in inviting people from every people group living alongside of them to the feast.

Worship and Waiting

This time can be an opportunity to worship with a song or just spend time being with the Lord.

Praying by Name

Spend some time offering and entrusting your prayers for your friends for this past month to the Lord.

Thank you, Father, for giving me grace to pray for these ones that you love. Please use the prayers I have prayed to work in their hearts and lives. Thank you for the ways you have already been moving to answer my prayers and I pray you would continue to move me to pray for them as you bring them to mind.

Closing Prayer

God of fasting, God of feasting, thank you for this month spent in prayer for Muslims in Kyrgyzstan. Thank you for the ways you have met me in prayer and thank you for the ways you have reminded me of my weakness, even through my times of prayer. Thank you for the grace and strength you have given me to partner with you in prayer, and in faith I entrust all my prayers to you, knowing that you have heard them and that you are at work to respond–making your kingdom come and your will be done.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3: 20-21, NIV)

(Thanks to A for their contribution to today’s prayer fuel.)