ABILENE, Tex. (BNc) — After weeks of promoting the event, Christian men from the Baker Heights congregation drove out to a lake in Breckenridge to pray for rain last Saturday.
Preacher Wes McAdams shared the results of that moment of prayer together in the church bulletin, published today on the Internet.
The men’s group “sat around in lawn chairs, near a very low lake, last Saturday morning,” Wes wrote. “People driving by on the highway may have wondered, ‘What are those guys doing down there?’ We weren’t fishing or boating, and although we had some delicious food, eating wasn’t the real reason we were there. We drove to Breckenridge early that Saturday morning to pray for some much needed rain.”
“It was extremely encouraging to sit with brethren and discuss prayer, providence, and the power of God. But the most encouraging part of our trip to Hubbard Creek Reservoir was the fact that it was sprinkling rain the entire time!” he said.
“Since then, the Lord has sent several more inches of rain to our dry and thirsty land. To God be the glory!” he wrote.
Wes ended his article with a spiritual application.
“Sometimes our lives, like our land, can experience periods of drought. There is a devotional song that expresses this idea well, with the words, ‘My eyes are dry. My faith is old. My heart is hard. My prayers are cold.’ Have you ever felt this way? Are you currently in the midst of a spiritual drought?”
2013-06-21 at 9:59 am
stories like this make us christians look like kooks. publically praying for rain?seriously? and then thinking God answered your prayer with a “sprinkling rain”? thanks for helping the church of Christ look like idiots.
2013-06-21 at 12:32 pm
God still answers the prayers of his faithful children. Not only is God honored when we pray, but those who believe in prayer are to be commended for their faith.
2013-06-21 at 3:46 pm
I want to tell these Brothers thank you for their demonstration of faith to a sin filled world whom already thinks Christians are Kooks. Thanks for reminding us all that God does hear and answer prayers offered in Faith from His children. Thanks be to God that the church of Christ is different and that we already look like idiots to the religious world because we are not like them. Thank you to our Father in Heaven.
2013-06-21 at 9:42 pm
Hey dave,
pay attention. In the last few days this area has received up to 6″ all after the prayer day.
2013-06-21 at 10:07 pm
If Jesus had been influenced by what the world or people thought looked strange, He would have never performed His awesome miracles; these were indeed eerie and frightening to Jewish and Roman masses. To me, prayer is a great blessing, second only to salvation, that the Christian has in his personal relationship with God. Texas needed rain, and Godly men knew who had the ability to produce it. The only way I could see wrong here is if this were staged simply to be showy and not to petition God for help, and this does not appear to be the case. Sadly, in today’s world, what the Christian knows and does that is morally correct is becoming less acceptable to the world.
2013-06-21 at 10:40 pm
Dear Brother McAdams, I am very uplifted by what you and the brothers did in Abilene when you prayed for rain in such a way. Rather than making Christians look like kooks, I think it made us look genuine and living our faith. I love being in the church of Christ and I enjoy reading such uplifting events! I also want to thank you,Brother Wes, for your Gospel Advocate article in April 2013. You said many helpful things that will help us as we stand on what we believe the New Testament teaches. Blessings to you!
2013-06-24 at 10:05 am
Dave, if these Christian men are kooks and Church of Christ members are idiots then I am glad I am one of them. It would help all of us if we prayed more in public places. Maybe those outside of the church could then see we truly belive in God and the help that only comes from him when we act on our faith. Seems I remember a story in the Bible about a group of women who went to the river to pray and as a result they heard the word of God taught to them and were saved by being obedient to be baptised and wash away their sins. Question?? Is there any wrong time to pray or any place that is off limits to pray? I think not. We can pray in silence or out loud. We are to be in a constant state of mind to pray and if we are not, we need to look at our faith and see what is wrong with it. Pray without creasing. Blessings on all who take prayer seriously and know God will answer in his own way and in his own time and for our good, even when we can’t see the good immediately.
2013-06-25 at 4:38 pm
Amen to the brotheren who still beliece in the power of prayer; prayer is speaking to god,and if our prayer is from an honest and sincere heart; god will answer our prayer.finally i will rather be a 100% fool for god,than to be wise in the eyes of man let us all in the church of christ, continue to be spiritual salmons,swimming against the flow.and never give the goal.many of the so called christian world to day are going the world down stream. we must remain strong in the lord. amen.
2013-08-15 at 3:56 pm
I just now saw these comments. I’m sorry Dave thinks we’re “kooks,” but I wanted to share a follow up. The brother who planned this prayer meeting, Steve Freeman, just posted this report about the lake where we prayed: Lake Hubbard has come up a bunch since our day of prayer for rain. Only lack a 1-1 1/2′ of water before the old bridge will be completely submerged. Considering it was a good 5 -6 feet out that’s awesome!