Dear Friends of IWS,
Greetings in the name of Jesus, our Lord! As the presidential search committee enters a more intense phase of the process, the deadline for applications having passed, I urge you to join in a time of prayer and fasting for the Holy Spirit’s direction in the identification of the third president of IWS. There are some highly qualified candidates. Now is the time to discern who God has prepared for this new season.
Why prayer and fasting? It is a common practice commended by Jesus and engaged in regularly by the New Testament church. The early church had an established tradition of fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, a pattern taken up by many church leaders since. The purpose of prayer and fasting is not to get what we want or to try to grow closer to God (though we likely will); the purpose is to listen and to create a space whereby God can change us—our plans, our expectations, our wills. This brings God glory and gives us assurance that we are discerning things from God’s point of view.
There are many things from which to fast: food, busy-ness, idleness, social media, spending money, speaking unnecessarily, to name a few. There are many ways to pray in the Christian tradition: silence, lectio divina, a rule of prayer, praying the hours, contemplation, and more. I know one IWS cohort that set their alarms so that they can pray at the same time every day for IWS.
God has someone for us. Our holy occupation is to observe the ancient-future practice of prayer and fasting so as to receive with confidence our next leader.
Dr. Constance Cherry
Acting President, IWS
Yes!