The latest Newsletter of the Evangelical Mouvement of Wales warmed my heart. It describes God at work this summer in different places around Wales. I thought I’d reproduce it for you below. If you do not get their Newsletter and live in Wales, you should get in touch to receive it. It is a great work, and needs you prayer support. Here is the introduction to the latest letter by David Norbury, the General Secretary. May we know more of God’s presence:
‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you’ (John 15:7).
When grown men and women cry
It has been an unusual summer. I am very cautious about reporting these events – we are standing on holy ground. But I feel constrained to let you know. This summer I have seen men and women cry. Some cried for joy, many in unworthiness, some in longing, and many in thanksgiving. Some cried because they could hardly believe God was moving in the way He was moving. These tears were a result of God’s great hand at work over many years but this summer some of that work became visible and the result was tears.
It started for me in July, at a baptismal service for a small church in Wales. Each person baptised shared their testimony; moving, personal stories of conversion, suffering and victory. People cried. God’s presence was real. Each was baptised then others asked to be baptised. There were moments when our breath was almost taken away. Grown men and women cried.
At the English Aber conference a pastor shared that during one sermon in particular something unusual happened. ‘As we listened to God’s word being preached – on my left a man began to quietly weep. A few minutes later the lady on my right began weeping as a result of a different part of the sermon.’ And they were not alone.
At the Welsh Aber conference men embraced after the word had been preached – quietly shedding tears at the glory of the gospel, the beauty and majesty of Christ and the wonder of His word. They were not alone.
One camp chaplain told me he was so disappointed with his own preaching in one service that he left the meeting without talking to anyone to go to his room and pray. Fifteen minutes or so later when he returned he found that no-one had moved. Silence reigned. All were praying. These same campers got up early on Saturday to hold a prayer meeting before leaving for home. Over the years this has not been unusual on camp.
The 50th anniversary celebrations of Bryn-y-groes brought tears. Gwynn Williams preached on the theme of thanksgiving and said, ‘Many of you came today because this is where He came to you. And you want to thank Him for coming to you. He met with you – here. We felt the gentle breeze of His presence – and we long for more.’ We all acknowledged that to be true. We want Him to come in a greater way to us, His people and to Wales. Grown men and women cried and they were not alone.
I am not seeking to make too much of this – except to report it to you as part of the overall picture of an unusual summer. Men, women and young people have cried. It seems to me that many have stood on holy ground this summer.
Do we really believe John 15:7? Have we explained it away? Surely He said it because He means it. Will you pray for more of Him in individual Christians, churches and even in the life of the country? Let’s lean on His promise and ask Him to come to us again and again.