Two friends sitting together were reflecting on the tragic events of the week. One of them shared that he was due to be in Martin Place for a meeting on Monday morning 15th December and would have dropped in to the Lindt café for a coffee. The meeting was postponed and he found himself instead watching the act of terror unfold on TV.

They were encouraged by how many times the phrase “our prayers and thoughts are with you” was used by world leaders and media personalities commentating on those caught up in this tragedy . This led them to ask – how can we respond as Christians to this type of crisis.

While observing that the hashtag campaign #illRideWithYou gained enormous traction on social media, they wondered what Christ followers could do at this time.

A hashtag # is when a phrase is used which then indexes all posts using this tag into social media like Facebook.

So they decided to start a hashtag campaign called #illPrayForYou.

Prayer is central to our lives as Christ Followers. Paul encourages us to “Pray at all times.” By praying we acknowledge our dependence on God and our trust in His sovereignty in every situation we face. We can pray for other people who love Jesus but equally for anyone who is part of our life. “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” James 5:16

Here is how you can join this campaign;

1.) Like the page and suggest to your friends to like the page https://www.facebook.com/illprayforyou
2.) Use the phrase #illPrayForYou – when you are posting online comments
3.) Offer to pray for your friends and contacts

When you pray expect a miracle – Jesus said “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” Matthew 21:22. Create a prayer journal – follow them up – post testimonies online to the https://www.facebook.com/illprayforyou Facebook page.

Prayer is a form of care. So let’s get praying and see Gods intervention in our nation and in peoples lives.

#illPrayForYou
Warwick Marsh

Twitter: WarwickMarsh777

PS A big thanks to Andrew Lawson and Jordan Mullen for allowing me to tell their story and their inspiration. Thanks to Derek Brown for helping me get the story right.