Raise the Banner

Night continues to envelope East Carolina. But the Son is on the rise.

This friday, Christians on campus here at ECU from every ministry, varying denominations, different walks, cultures, will be turning to God in prayer.

As a friend of mine said earlier this evening, its a clear sign, that God is working on campus. Unity of this magnitude doesn't happen by chance or by the will of a few good men and women. This is the Body of Christ coming together, the bride of Christ, and not a group of bridesmaids. ONE BRIDE.

What do we hope to gain from spending ourselves in prayer at all hours of the day or night?

Believers, and non believers will begin, and or continue to experience God presence in a real, inviting way. Some may be brought to tears as they realize how much love, and grace Jesus has shown them. Some may fall down in amazement, that the creator of the universe is actually speaking to them, in a gentle whisper, sharing his plans. Others may start a war cry, determined to take back the campus from the evil one.

We want to take time away from our lives to sit down with God and say that we also desire this campus to lift up your name, O Lord. Yes we still want to pray for those sick, but our dreams are bigger than any one person or small group of people. Our dreams are those, begotten to us by the Holy Spirit, from the Father and Son.

We want to see the walls of darkness come down, the person contemplating suicide out of loneliness to find a friend who will truly miss them. For the person who continues to give pieces of themselves away in sexual activity, to taste of the pure living water offered by the Son. For the drug addict to find that true life, the ultimate high is knowing God as the one true God, and Jesus as His Son, and passionately following Him in every little way that He nudges.

East Carolina can become an institution where it is said "God is there." We can also become a training ground from which radically simple disciples head out, travelling to those in need, carried by the Spirit and prayer. East Carolina can become many things, but we must sit down and wait as God begins to unveil the blueprints for His plans. Who knows, even the things I just listed might even be a drop in the bucket compared to what He wants to do.

The question is, do we care? And if we care, are we patient to wait, and to seek out the Lord. With God all things are possible, but if the army He is raising up, chooses to continue to sleep on, the battle will never be won, not even contested.

And darkness may just yet continue to hold tight its grip over this campus.

But because of the salt of a few, more are turning up their lights. We're going to war with the evil one, but first we're going to wake up the rest of this army as it slumbers.

The bugle sounds: 24/7 Prayer.