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The Plain Truth Editorial | Mary Hammond

Our national pastime?

recent poll showed that some of the top John concludes that if our nation once again sought
‘national pastimes’ shared by millions God’s help, as it did during wartime when France had fallen
A across the UK today are activities such as and the British Army was trapped at Dunkirk with the
real threat of annihilation, then our collective prayers and
walking; reading; gardening and angling. actions would have a miraculous effect.
(Who knew how popular sitting for hours In fact, so convinced is Pastor John of his belief, that
alone along a damp riverbank in cold, often wet he has subsequently produced a short YouTube video
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weather in the hope of a catch could be. And highlighting the miracle of Dunkirk, which he hopes can
only to throw the fish right back!) encourage and motivate folk to recapture what once was
But ask the question of what the majority of an everyday part of life – especially when only a miracle
people back in the 1940s did in common, and a would suffice.
But maybe repentance, and prayer is an outdated
very different activity would appear. approach for folk today? Preferring to rely solely on
science, technology and
At a time when our nation was living through World mankind’s knowledge to
War II, prayer was a key pastime of almost every family. try and solve the world’s
Whether collectively, in regularly well-attended churches, insurmountable problems.
school assemblies packed with youngsters or individually at Or perhaps, behind
home when daily petitions were offered up for safety of far- closed doors and in
off loved ones serving their country. privacy more people are
In fact, many of our older readers will recall the scenes praying than we realise.
appearing in the press at that time showing queues of Back in 2017, a survey
thousands of people lined up outside Westminster Abbey on ‘Prayer in the UK’
when King George VI called the nation to prayer. conducted by Tearfund
However, as the war ended and with the arrival of the showed that 27 million
‘Baby Boomers’ , the nation became more prosperous, adults in the UK pray,
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individuals more liberated and seemingly the ‘need’ with around a third
for a deliverer less fashionable. Or as Pastor John of praying regularly. But
‘Strengthen the Faithful’, wrote in a letter to me saying, even one in five of those
that the wartime deliverance of the miracle of Dunkirk polled who pray say they
was soon forgotten. Since that time, the nation has are not religious. For
turned away from God, rejecting his laws and separating many, prayer has become
themselves from him. the last resort, rather
To make his point, and in the hope of a revival across the than the first port of call
nation in today’s times of crisis and unrest, Pastor John has in daily life.
already produced a leaflet for which he has had funding, In this issue, you can
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and through volunteers circulated to 25,000 churches, read some inspiring
eliciting their help to spread the message further. articles about how prayer and being moved by God’s
inspiration has led to life-changing situations.
Under the radar And if you have personally had a miraculous answer to
An ordained minister of a major denomination, John prayer, then you’re not alone, as you can read in Gethin’s
prefers to keep his identity ‘under the radar’ at this time. article on page 6. Opening next year near Birmingham, Photo Credit: istockphoto.com/Kalawint
Much of the leaflet talks about how God dramatically every one of the 1 million bricks in the massive ‘Eternal
worked by answering a nation’s call to prayer in the Miracle Wall of Prayer’ will represent a personal story of answered
of Dunkirk. prayer. A monument and a reminder that prayer can indeed
A miracle in which 338,000 lives were rescued from the change lives. And who knows, maybe one day will again
shores of that French port – when very best estimates were become a national pastime?
that only 20-30,000 would be saved. Pastor John goes on
to say, that what God did then, he can do for us today, if 1 ‘Baby Boomers’ is the name given to the generation born post-World War II,
people humble themselves, repent and turn to God. He between 1946 and 1964.
then quotes 2 Chronicles 7:14. 2 https://ctntp.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/wartime-miracles-leaflet.pdf or
‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble email: strengthenthefaithful@gmail.com putting ‘Wartime Miracles’ in the
themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their subject box.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8vyfp0aVHk or search ‘A dramatic answer
wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive 3 to prayer. The miracle of Dunkirk’. To receive the video link on your
their sin and will heal their land.’ smartphone, text DUNKIRK to 07884 048379.

2 The Plain Truth Winter 2021-2022 Find us online at www.plain-truth.org.uk