By Judy Durkee
Since The Prayer Mountain NW at Mt. Ashland, Aug. 2010, I have had many people ask me what that event was all about, what its purpose was and what actually occurred.
I must admit, until the event, I was pretty much an outside observer looking in. Since I was not part of Calvary Chapel in Grants Pass who were the apparent sponsors and producers of the event or part of the organizational group, I like many others, could only guess from the pieces of information offered through the web page.
There was the intriguing story of the early NW Native American, Book of Heaven, so we could assume it had something to do with indigenous people. It was called Prayer Mountain so it was apparently about prayer. There was some information, that was hard to piece together, about the Macedonian Call of the West which is apparently a historical term for the original missionary movement to the NW. There was going to be a call to repentance, ministry and worship from various sources and a historical enactment.
Even though there was a bit of a mystery as to how all this was going to take place and how and where the participants would engage, they managed to fulfill, with a fluid precision, everything they set out to do. I am still processing it all. This was not so much of an event, but more of a creative procession.
My personal involvement was as the leader of Southern Oregon House of Prayer (a prayer ministry of the Rogue Valley). We were given the opportunity to participate in the NightWatch intercession. Since we had little information about our role, in even this part, we had no agenda or expectation, which allowed for the continued fluidness of interaction with each other and the Holy Spirit.
We arrived the first night an hour early, at 1am, to see what was happening. We joined a group from a local church that had many indigenous people in their congregation. We enjoyed the glorious blending of prayer and Native drumming combined with participating in the traditional Sabbath style of breaking bread / communion. Then at 2am we entered into our intercession, spurred on by more Native drumming and others joining in our scripture directed prayer. We left at 3am invigorated in God and passing the baton to the next group of intercessors. We prayed repentance for being a people of compromise and division, a people of walls from our neighbors and one another as the body of Christ. There was also a holy presence of His power to enable us to enter into a new season, where God will teach us how to be a people joined together in purpose and love. The following night at 3-4am was especially sweet, sensing that He was the God of the NW and that He would surely accomplish His purpose. We heard the sweet invitation to come out of our own strength and understanding and into His, and to see and hear what His heart is for our great Northwest.
I learned that we do not always need to know what is going on to participate. It truly boils down to being obedient to the gentlest of nudges and the tenderness of whispers. Doing what the Father’s voice says, and going where he points. It really is that simple. I think those involved in Prayer Mountain NW did just that and I am glad I obeyed by being there and giving my voice and prayers to something God was brooding over.
Many things can and will be said about what took place. The enactment of our NW history and what has been prophetically called and brought into being in our NW was powerful. The message and call to return to those mandates was equally important. Let’s not miss it. Thank you to those of you who gave of your time, energy and finances to make this prophetic act become a reminder of God’s call in our Land.
