Having a prayer list is a great thing–but sometimes it can be hard to focus in prayer (I’m sure we’ve all been there…).
But recently I’ve found that using maps/a globe can really help me to pray for people and situations all over the world.
Both Google Earth and Google Maps have really changed how we see the world, so why not use it to change the way we can pray for it!
With the web, I’ve got friends and family all over the world and I love whizzing around the world on maps/globes to see where they are. Recently I’ve also been using these pins as starting point for praying for them as well.
Somehow it makes me feel nearer and more connected to them if I can ‘see’ where they are (and with street view you can often get really close!).
It’s not just people who I know that I’ve prayed for using maps, there are many situations in the world that really need prayer and getting up close with them on a map can help bring them into focus.
The Persecuted Church
This is also true for the persecuted Church around the world. With Google’s recent addition of information on North Korea, we can see where thousands of Christians are imprisoned in the worst country of Christian persecution on the planet (there are people in the labour camps simply because their grandparents owned a Bible!).
I’ve found using maps for my personal prayer really helpful, but what about bringing it into a Church setting? Projecting Google Earth/Maps and zooming around all the people and places the church is praying for!
Pray Mobile
And with mobile apps, you can carry your own personal prayer maps around in your pocket!
If you’re a iOS/Mac user there’s also the wonderful Living Earth Apps, which although don’t have the detail of Google Earth/Maps, it’s a more beautiful earth (and what I use!).
Have (or do) you use maps to help you pray?
Do you use any other tech like this to help your prayer?
Ben Bourne says
I love the concept of jesus.net and affiliated websites where you can see (and pray for) markers/people on google maps who just decided to accept Jesus. People who visit this site are encourage to pray that God will guide them further in their relationship with Him. It’s also possible to see the decisions in 3D: using Google Earth!
James Cooper says
Thanks for the link Ben – great stuff!