6: The London Challenge:
Opening the Treasure Chest of Prayer

Within our worshipping life, our ministry and mission we have a whole store of treasures both old and new, which will provide rich resources for our response to the London Challenge.

"...Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from this treasure what is new and what is old." – Matthew 13:52

Look into the Treasure Chest
The writer, Henri Nouwen suggests that although we may have just a few talents we have many, many gifts which God has showered upon us as individuals and as Christian communities.

The marks of a gift are that:

• It is freely given
• It has been chosen with care for the one who will receive it
• It reflects something of the giver
• It is always given at some cost
• It is given to be used and to be enjoyed

We see the gifts in the 'fruits of the Spirit' given to us in St. Paul's letter to the Galatians 5:22.

Treasure that is 'Old'
It is important to get into the habit of reflecting thankfully on all God's gifts which already enrich the life of our church and our community. When we live our lives in a spirit of thankfulness, then our eyes become open to the many gifts God has showered upon us.

Try for one week to give thanks to God as you open your eyes each morning and as you close them at night. You could use a simple phrase from the Psalms such as:

'Come bring our joy to the Lord, let us come before him with thanks' – Psalm 95:1

or 'Thank you Lord, for this new day, for all your good gifts to your people in this city.'

or 'Thank you Father for all the people I have met this day and for your Son present in our meeting.'

The whole day is then placed into God's hands to help us see things in God's perspective.

Treasure that is 'New'
The wonderful and awesome thing about God's treasure chest is that the deeper you dig the more you find. The trouble is that we often forget to take time to dig, preferring instead to respond in our own strength.

• Pray the Lord's Prayer regularly and carefully asking that God's kingdom may come and that his will be done here on earth as it is in heaven.
• Read through our Mission Action Plan carefully and pray about the commitments listed there.

Threads of Prayer
Many of us travel to work each day crossing London by car or public transport. Perhaps as we pass the many hundreds of people as they rush onto the tube or look at the faces next to ours in the endless traffic queues we might, instead of getting angry and frustrated, intercede for each person and ask for God's peace, for shalom, to encircle each life, each home and each community.

It takes vision to do this – it means we have to look at the world with "God's eyes" and learn to focus on him rather than ourselves.

Adapted from London Challenge Resources

Next: 7: Praying for Christmas: The Advent Antiphons