Prayer for Rain 2009

Documents regarding this call to pray

Three specific areas for which we appeal to God for rain

Ideas for Observing this Day of Prayer and Fasting

Repentance and Rain

Documents regarding this call to pray

The Lubbock County Commissioners Court has issued a proclamation to make Sunday, May 3, 2009 a day of prayer and fasting for rain.   Read the Lubbock County Commissioners Court Proclamation.

Read a letter from the Lubbock County Judge, Lubbock Mayor and the Director of Pray Lubbock, urging congregations to participate on May 3rd and throughout 2009.

Three specific areas for which we appeal to God for rain

1.   Moisture on the South Plains for our land

2.   Rainfall within Lake Meredith's Canadian River watershed

     Check our resources for understanding and praying for Lake Meredith

3.   Texas, especially exceptional drought areas of San Antonio and Austin

     Check the current status of drought in Texas at the U. S. Drought Monitor

Ideas for Observing this Day of Prayer and Fasting

We are asking the citizens of the South Plains to set apart Sunday, May 3, 2009 as a day of prayer and fasting for rain.  Congregations may participate in a variety of ways:

• Include our need for rain in the morning prayer

• Have agricultural workers stand and pray for them as you pray for rain

• Hold a special afternoon or evening prayer service for rain

• Organize the entire service around the our need for rain

• Encourage congregational members to fast in some way on the 3^rd i.e. fast for one meal, fast until sundown,

• Replace the coffee urns and boxes of donuts on May 3^rd with signs reminding people to fast and pray for rain.

You may pray without fasting and contribute to this effort.  However if you choose to fast, in addition to praying, there are a variety of ways that individuals can fast and pray for rain.  Fasting can be applied to other areas besides eating; you can choose to fast from certain activities which you normally participate: sports, TV, other forms of valued recreation. Here are some ideas of duration:

• Begin a seven-day fast on Monday, April 27

• Begin a three-day fast on Friday, May 1

• Observe an all-day fast on Sunday, May 3

• Observe a 24-hour fast beginning after the evening meal on Saturday, May 2 and break the fast with the evening meal on Sunday, May 3.

• Fast for one meal on May 3

You may also observe an “Isaiah 58” fast: help in a soup kitchen, help a neighbor with some needed assistance, honor your family with your time and devotion, visit a nursing home, show some act of kindness for someone in the agriculture business

Encourage members to participate in whatever ways they can.  Some may have already made dinner plans and other circumstances may prevent them from participating in the fast.  They can still contribute greatly by praying for rain throughout the day.  We are not approaching this day legalistically; rather we are simply attempting to gather a corporate plea to God in prayer from the body of Christ in Lubbock and Lubbock County. 

Repentance and Rain

Consider this connection between repentance and praying for rain:  (King Solomon's prayer to God at the dedication of the Temple of the Lord.)  "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and when they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin because You have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave Your people for an inheritance.  II Chronicles 6:26-27