Women Prayer Day (CD1, CD2, CD3)

Combined prayer for Central District 1, 2 and 3 at Bangsar Lutheran Church.

THE PRESENCE OF GOD (INTO HIS PRESENCE)

“What does it mean to be in “Presence of God”? How do we cultivate the presence of God?”, I pondered. “How can I pray unceasingly?” Sounds so big, so ominous, so unattainable.  Yet it is our heart’s desire.

So I decided to go for a walk around my “taman” (“park”) in my residential area.  As I started to walk, I could see the blue sky, clouds as I basked in the sunshine. I heard the rustling leaves as I  felt its’ soft wind on my face, I heard the birds singing and the naughty squirrels chasing each other.  I continued to walk up the slope and I started to pant and started breathing in more deeply. 

Then it came to me, prayer is like breathing. When we were born we took our first breath.  When we die, we release our last breath.  In fact, our life is but a breath.  In Genesis 2:7 it reads “the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being.” God breathed His breath of life into our nostrils and we became alive!

Prayer is like breathing.  When words fail, we simply breathe. We breath in God and we breath out and release everything back to God.

But any epiphany needs confirmation.  So, I contacted Sister Bee Yee.  Before I could even start, she was just so excited and shared about her recent rest and relax time in Putra Jaya Botanical Gardens, where she experienced the beauty and glory of nature.  How her heart was at peace and full of thanksgiving to God.  This was the confirmation that we both needed for the LCM-SWM (“Sisters’ Women Ministry”) prayer event for Central Districts 1, 2 and 3.  The big idea for the Prayer Event, would be centred on Creation as in Genesis, from Day 1 until Day 6 when man was created by God breathing into him the Breath of Life.  In this process we recognise:-

• the natural world that God has created,
• the priorities in the order of Creation,
• the intimacy of YHWH in our breath and
• finally coming to stillness and Silence. “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 26:10

The reality of modern life, is that it is busy, hectic, noisy and sometimes just overwhelming.  Many of us carry fears, worries, anxiety, even anger, frustrations that we can’t seem to let go. I call it “The fear of tomorrow and regrets of yesterday.”  

What we need is to be present, to slow down.  Take a breath and simply breathe. Breathing and prayer is an act of surrender and trust.   After all, He is Emmanuel, God with us. In Silence we let go of striving, worries and distractions and simply rest in His Presence, just being, not doing.  After all we are human beings.  Not human doings.

Thereafter we shared this epiphany for the prayer meeting with the pastors and other ladies in the committee and it came back with a resounding “Yes”.  Rev Kathrin Zaha and Sis Jeannie Tan came up with the flyer “Into His Presence”. Siew Fun was responsible for communications.  The programmed was drawn up with the approval of all the Pastors including Rev Lui, Rev Kathrin, Rev Pamela Jau, Pastor Adeline, other pastors and the rest of the committee. Thereafter many people stepped in to help (with thanks). Su Shen and Nelson are taking the lead (in my words) of the “Dream Team” helping us dream and imagine. 

The Prayer event is a time for prayer, reflection, and meditation leading to silence.  The Prayer experience is an immersive experience accentuated with a soft mix of music, colour, lighting, sounds, shadow play.  The intention is to come into His Presence and just rest and just be.

Come, let us seek and experience His Presence together as a family of God this 25^th April.  Invite your friends too. It will be held on 25^th April 2026, 3pm – 5pm in Bangsar Lutheran Church, No. 23, Jalan Abdullah, Bangsar, KL.

Tammy Lam

神的同在（进入祂的同在）

“在神的同在中”是什么意思？我们该如何培养神的同在？我曾这样思考。“怎样才能不住地祷告？”这听起来如此的宏大、令人可畏，甚至似乎难以达成。然而，这正是我们内心深处的渴望。

于是我决定到我住宅区的“Taman”（公园）散步。当我开始散步时，晴朗的天气，我看见蓝天白云。我听见树叶沙沙作响，感受到柔和的微风拂过我的脸庞；我听见鸟儿歌唱，还有调皮的松鼠互相追逐。我继续沿着斜坡往上走，有点气喘，也开始加深呼吸。

就在那一刻，我忽然明白：祷告就像呼吸。当我们出生时，我们吸入第一口气；当我们离世时，我们呼出最后一口气。事实上，我们的一生不过是一口气而已。创世记2:7记载：“耶和华神用地上的尘土造人，将生命之气吹进他的鼻孔里，他就成了有灵的活人。”神将祂生命的气息吹入我们的鼻孔，我们便活了过来！

祷告就像呼吸。当言语无法表达时，我们只需呼吸。我们吸入神，也在呼气时将一切释放交托给神。

但任何感动都需要先得到印证。于是，我联系了Bee Yee姐妹。还没等我开口，她就兴奋地分享她最近在布城植物园（Putrajaya Botanical Gardens）休闲放松的经历，在那里她感受到了大自然的美丽与荣耀。她的心因此得着平安，并充满对神的感恩。这正是我们为LCM-SWM（“妇女姐妹事工”）中央一、二、三区祷告聚会所需要的印证。

这个祷告会的核心主题，将围绕创世记中的创造，从第一天直到第六天——当人被神造出来，神将生命的气息吹入人里面。在这个过程中，我们认识到：-

（a）神所创造的自然世界，
（b）创造次序中的优先次序，
（c）耶和华（YHWH）在我们气息中与我们的亲密同在，
（d）最后进入安静与静默。“你们要休息，要知道我是神。”（诗篇26:10）

现代生活的现实是忙碌、紧张、喧嚣，有时甚至令人不堪重负。许多人都背负着恐惧、忧虑、焦虑，甚至愤怒与挫败，这些情绪似乎难以放下。我称之为“对明天的恐惧与对昨日的懊悔”。

我们所需要的，是学会活在当下，放慢脚步，停下来，深呼吸，单纯地呼吸。呼吸与祷告，都是一种降服与信靠的行动。毕竟，祂是以马内利——神与我们同在。

在静默中，我们放下挣扎、忧虑与各种干扰，单单安息在祂的同在里，回归人的本质，而不是为了“做而做”。毕竟，我们是人，而不是“机器人”。

之后，我们将这个感动与牧师们以及委员会中的其他姐妹分享，用作祷告会的构思，并得到了强烈一致的“赞同”。Kathrin Zaha牧师和Jeannie Tan姐妹设计了主题为“进入祂的同在（Into His Presence）”的海报。Siew Fun负责通讯工作。

整个节目流程也在所有牧师的批准下制定完成，包括雷牧师、Kathrin牧师、Pamela Jau牧师、Adeline牧师以及其他牧者和委员会成员。随后，许多弟兄姐妹也纷纷加入帮忙（在此一并致谢）。Su Shen和Nelson将带领“梦之队（Dream Team）”，与我们一起逐梦与想象。

这个祷告会将会是一个带领我们进入祷告、默想与反思，并最终进入静默祷告时刻的祷告会。整个祷告体验将配合柔和的音乐、色彩、灯光、声音以及光影等元素，以沉浸的方式呈现。其目的是要帮助我们单单安息在神的同在中并进入祂的同在。

作为神的家人，让我们在4月25日一起来寻求并经历祂的同在，也欢迎邀请您邀请您的朋友前来参与。本活动将于2026年4月25日，下午3点至5点，在吉隆坡LCM-Bangsar Lutheran Church，No. 23, Jalan Abdullah, Bangsar, KL举行。

Tammy