Morning Watch: Transforming Prayer

I have been attending Morning Watch from 5:00 to 6:00 five or six mornings a week since
late March of last year. On Monday, January 2 of the New Year, Morning Watch entered its
sixth year of believers gathering together to pray for the the communities and churches in
Cowlitz County of the State of Washington. The numbers may have varied over five years,
but there has always been at least two or three people gathering together at the 5 am hour to
praise the Name of Jesus and to intercede for the people, families, communities, and churches
in the area. There have now been Morning Watches  for over 1825 days without a single inter-
ruption.

At the Morning Prayer on that first Monday of 2012, Tim, who has been involved with Morn-
ing Watch ever since the first one, drew attention to how things in the area have changed over
the five years that Christians have purposefully interceded for people and towns of the county.
When they first started five years ago, Tim and others perceived a haze over the area. But grad-
ually as their concentrated prayers pierced the darkness, the haze began to dissipate. Unrelent-
ing prayer changed the atmosphere over the area. Various social problems that were above the
national norm back in 2007 have now plummeted below the national norms. Tim pointed out
that rates of sexually transmitted diseases in the county have dropped by more than 50% and
child abuse cases have taken a sharp down turn. Both the number of unwed teenage pregnan-
cies and school drop outs have fallen significantly. Longview schools have surged from the
very bottom of Washington State schools to healthier rankings. There is also a marked improve-
ment of unity and cooperation among Christians and churches in the Tri-Rivers area. It is evi-
dent that prayer does indeed change things.

Over the past few years a particular format has emerged that is followed for Morning Watch.
There is a person who is assigned to lead prayer for each day of the week. On Mondays Tim
focuses on prayers for pre-teens in the area and on Tuesdays Russ directs Morning Watch to
pray for all levels of government. On Wednesdays Leslie directs attention to praying for busi-
nesses and the local economy. On Thursdays Larry directs prayers for the poor and needy. On
Fridays Terri leads prayers for arts and entertainment and on Saturdays she prayerfully focuses
on family issues. The climax of the week is Sunday when Larry leads prayer on the the Bride
of Christ, the Church. The leader of a particular day usually does three things: he or she picks
a specific concern within the focus of the day, an attribute or name of God that relates to the
concern, and then one or two biblical texts that speak to the issues. At the beginning of Morn-
ing Watch, the leader shares about the specific concern for that morning and begins praying.
There is an open mic in the middle of the sanctuary where people can read from Scripture or
offer up their own prayers. A live vocalist or a praise and worship CD shape the atmosphere
for worship and prayer. Prayer and praise through music complement one another.

It is evident to me that the prevailing prayers of a small group of people gathering together for
over 1825 days without interruption have been changing things and people. There may not be
the numbers of people praying that there were five years ago, but there always seems to be at
least two or three persons praying at Morning Watch. Usually there are more that that. What is
important is that wherever two or three people are gathered in Jesus' name, God is present there
and prevailing prayer has become transforming prayer. God has been changing and transform-
ing people as well as their situations. I am witnessing that prevailing prayer is necessary for
long-term transformation of people and communities. It is a primary lesson that I have learned
that I will be taking back with me when I return to Scotland in a few months.

Blessing to you and yours,