3rd June - from 40 DAYS blog

***1 WEEK UNTIL GLOBAL COMMUNION: FRI 10TH JUNE, 1600-1700HRS (BST)***

Oasis is a family of activists - and it's interesting to observe how activists pray. They are very task focussed - praying for things and hoping, longing, expecting to see results. That's good. If we don't evaluate the before & after, or see a real change, it is right to question how we are praying and whether we have understood God correctly in terms of how prayer works.

But there are so many other approaches to prayer than the activist one.

One of my favourites is that prayer is about Presence. First and foremost, prayer not about requests and answers, it's about experiencing God - and letting him shape our agendas. Which can be scary, because it means letting go of our agendas, no matter how well thought through, wise or intelligent they seem to be.

Our activism is good, but if it isn't located in the Holy Spirit, in genuine depth of relationship, and in true encounter with the living God, we are wasting our time (and money). That's why the stories we are sharing locally and globally about our prayer experience during 40 DAYS are so important - the vital thing is simply that you and I get to meet God and know his transforming, life-giving, awe-inspiring Presence.