Earlier this month I blogged about an initiative launched in Northern Ireland - praying and fasting for 40 days to protect Northern Ireland from the British Abortion Act. The proposed period for this intiative is from today and it finishes on 4th October (excluding Sundays).It was Liam Gibson’s idea (SPUC's Northern Ireland development officer) and he wrote a paper on the biblical background to the project making a number of practical suggestions about both fasting and praying.
For example, he points out that fasting can include: Abstaining from certain foods, such as meat or a favourite food; Going without milk or sugar in tea and coffee, or giving up tea or coffee themselves; Fasting from all food and drink (except water) for a 24 hour period (This may be more demanding but is not difficult for anyone in good health, providing it does not conflict with work or family commitments); Going without television etc
And Liam has many simple, practical suggestions about prayer in the above paper.
I'm a campaigner but I also believe in prayer. I believe that the dangers of the evils proposed in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill - and now the terrible threat posed by extreme pro-abortion amendments at report stage in October - are so great, all believers should be begging God to spare both Northern Ireland and Britain. Let those who believe like me that there are certain evils which are so great they can only be overcome by fasting and prayer consider joining in this initiative in a way that is appropriate and achievable in the light of our work and family commitments.
