Reflecting on the Cant i Gymru Launch Prayer Night

Owen Cottom

It’s been three weeks since the Cant i Gymru Launch Prayer Night. Close to a couple of hundred believers gathered in Merthyr from across the length and breadth of Wales to cry out to God for a new day of gospel renewal. It was a special time.

We heard a stirring message from Ben on Psalm 44 and the passionate pleas of the Sons of Korah; “wake up, Lord!” (Psalm 44:23). We heard stories from gospel pioneers who are planting churches across the regions of Wales, in both Welsh and English. We lifted our voices in loud songs of praise, joining together from different generations and different church streams. And most of all, we prayed. We boldly approached the throne of grace, knocked on heaven’s door, sowed intercessory seed, called upon our mighty God to move in power.

As we’ve reflected on the evening, two words seem to sum up what it felt like to be in that room: UNITY and PASSION. It feels like we are living in a new day of togetherness in Wales, where old barriers to unity are giving way to a new appreciation of our common standing in the gospel. It feels like we are living in a new day of urgency, where old mindsets of apathy are giving way to a new vision of the courageous faith the gospel calls us to.

These are special days. But this is just the beginning. Which leads to one final reflection on our time together ...

For me one of the most beautiful moments of the evening was an unplanned one. We had just sung “Be still for the presence of the Lord” which contains within it the repeated refrain, “The Holy One is here”. Stirred by the thought that God is already at work in our land, I encouraged us all to call out names of villages, towns and cities in Wales, one by one, and follow up each place name with the collective declaration in English and in Welsh - “The Holy One Is Here / Mae’r Sanctaidd Un Gerllaw”. The floodgates opened ...

CWMBRAN! Mae’r Sanctaidd Un Gerllaw
ABERGAVENNY! Y Santaidd Un Gerllaw
ABERTILLERY! Mae’r Sanctaidd Un Gerllaw
PEN-LLYN! Mae’r Sanctaidd Un Gerllaw
TREORCHY! Mae’r Sanctaidd Un Gerllaw

... and so it continued.

It felt like we could have gone on all night just naming the place names of Wales before the Lord. As I indicated that we would have one more place name I think five people shouted out different places at once!

It felt like a powerful moment as we collectively embraced the heart of God - and declared the blessing of God - over every community in Wales. No corner of Wales is overlooked by Him. He is the Shepherd who leaves the 99 to go after the 1 lost and forgotten sinner. He is the Shepherd who is moving in our day to raise up flocks in every lost and forgotten community.

But as the atmosphere of unity and passion has subsided, and as we’ve returned to the daily grind of prayer and mission in our own communities, this exercise has left me pondering something ...

Could it be that one of the things God is doing in our day is marking individuals with place names? Could it be that this exercise was more than just a prayer night gimmick? Could it be that the Lord is laying on your heart the name of a town or a village in Wales, whether it is where you live or not?

Could it be that God is doing this for one of two reasons ...

... in order that you would faithfully pray for gospel witness in that place, carrying its people before the Lord on a daily basis?

... in order that you would become part of meeting the need for gospel witness in that place; planting a church, supporting a work, joining a team, giving financially, living incarnationally there?

These are exciting days in Wales, not just because of the renewed sense of unity and passion amongst God’s people. These are exciting days in Wales because the Holy One is here. He has gone ahead of us into the towns and villages we long to see reached with the gospel. As we pray and plant in the years ahead we can do so with the confidence and joy of knowing we are simply participating in His mission, by His power.

We are looking forward to hosting more Prayer Gatherings in the months ahead. We would love to see you at one of them. In the meantime, lets continue to ask God to awaken His work in every corner and community of the land.