Book Club: Spirit

Galatians 5:25 (NIV)

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Chasing the Dragon by Jackie Pullinger is a powerful memoir about Jackie’s mission work in Hong Kong during the 1960s. Aged 22 she moved to Hong Kong alone with one goal: to show and tell people about the love of Jesus. This book tells of the many miraculous things that God did through Jackie from drug rehabilitation to the conversion of powerful gang leaders in the then infamous Kowloon Walled City. 

In one chapter, Jackie explains that, in her opinion, she was only able to see so many miracles because of her early decision to pray almost constantly in tongues as she went about her day. She says: ‘I prayed in the Spirit as I went around [...] on buses, on the boats, and walking along the streets, very quietly under my breath. That way it was possible to pray all the time.’ In the same chapter, the fruit of this near constant prayer is impossible to miss as she has God encounter after God encounter. 

I was so challenged by Jackie’s commitment to prayer that I’ve been trying to pray under my breath as much as possible as I go about the day. I haven’t yet seen anything. as miraculous as Jackie writes about but I have noticed that I feel much more in step with the Spirit. 

I’d love to encourage you to find a time in your day to pray as you go. Perhaps on your walk to work, your morning car journey or even in the shower. If you’re feeling really nervous about people thinking you’re strange as you say prayers under your breath you can always pretend you’re on the phone like I used to do when I was just starting out. Who knows the miracles we could see if all of us committed to praying throughout our day!  

Prayer — Holy Spirit, we want to be open to your prompting today. Come into our lives and show us the opportunities for God encounter as we go about our normal routine.