In the midst of global pandemic, we need a divine solution (Jer 32:17). We need the ‘old normal’ prayer practice of the Early Church for today’s ‘new normal.’ The book of Acts recorded history and act of the vital role prayer played in the Early Church, especially how prayer precedes their major events and acts. In order to renew and improve our prayers in this age of Covid-19, the ‘old normal’ prayers that preceded the filling of Holy Spirit, multiple healing, bold preaching and comforts for persecuted believers suggests a model for our ‘new normal’ prayers. The ‘old normal’ commands to pray, ‘and the great stories of deliverance and victory, experience and vision, are examples of prevailing prayer’ we need in this time and age of ‘new normal.’ The ‘old normal’ prayers as the privilege of sons and daughters of God, and the test of son-ship and daughter-ship of God points us to the driving force behind all we do in the ‘new normal.’ The ‘old normal’ prayer practice was with intentionality and regularity.

Prayer practice in the early Church, first to fourth century, was a form of spiritual discipline, on a personal level as well as a corporate one. The statement, ‘lex orandi, lex credendi,’ that is, ‘the law of belief is the law of prayer’ as exemplified in the life of Cornelius and others as ‘old normal’ calls for our prayer renewal – public and private, especially in this time of ‘new normal.’ ‘Old normal’ prayer practice as essential Christian’s vital breath and Christian’s native air is counter-cultural to Christian’s life live as if prayer is optional and unnecessary.

Cornelius, the first prominent Gentile to embrace the gospel was a God fearing officer, commander of 100 Roman soldiers. Cornelius believed the Scriptures and a good example to his family. Cornelius’ prayer life points us to some lessons about prayer as ‘old normal’ for the ‘new normal.’ Cornelius was visited by God’s angel while he was in prayer at about mid-afternoon just as Peter too was in prayer at about noon. One major lesson here is that regular and specific prayer meetings, and hours of prayer enhances our spiritual discipline just as God’s Word also encourages spontaneous prayer.

Divine visitation was a major experience in prayer practice as ‘old normal.’ Divine visitation answers every form of frustration and stagnation in in human life, church decline, and national decay. With prayer as ‘old normal’ for the ‘new normal,’ every divine visitation always culminates in supernatural manifestation. Our prayer is that God will step into our difficult ‘new normal’ in order for us to experience His mighty acts, signs and wonders (Jer 27:22; Lk 19:1-11. Gen 18:1-11, I Sam 1:21, Dan 3:14-25, Acts 12:1-11). Samuel Chadwick’s testimony about the Joyful News Mission was a Divine visitation ’born of the prayers of Thomas and Mary Champness …, as they prayed one morning between  the hours of four and five.’

Cornelius’ prayer life as ‘old normal’ also reminds us that there is nothing wrong with special places of prayers. While most devout Jews after the building of the first temple went to the House of God to pray, other like Daniel ‘opened their windows toward Jerusalem when they prayed.’ The Bible says, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; And his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime” (Dan 6:10). Daniel did not increase his prayer discipline out of hypocrisy or religious pride, nor did he try to conceal it out of fear. Prayer practice as ‘old normal,’ was about spiritual discipline shaped by absolute obedience to God’s Word. The ‘old normal’ prayer practice for the early church was a spiritual habit and a regular practice. In Acts 3:1, Peter and John and other disciples were regular and intentional about prayer in the temple and some went up to the housetop to pray. One of the ‘old normal’ and ‘mark of true discipleship is being in constant communication with God through prayer.’   

David said, ““As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (Ps 55:16). Evening, morning, and at noon reminds us of the New Testament admonition, “Pray without ceasing” (1Thess 5:17). This is always Christian’s best defence. The consideration for us is to look back especially since the emergence of Covid-19, the state of your prayer life and practice. Let us personally reflect on the following questions?

How much time are you spending in prayer and fasting?

What sort of times and occasions did you pray during the past weeks?

Do you pray and thank God before you eat? 

Do you pray before you go to bed? 

Do you pray when you get up in the morning?

Do you pray each day after reading your Bible and some good devotional book? 

Do you gather your family around you after your evening meal and pray together?

Do you pray at the third hour, the sixth hour and the ninth hour?

The goal in prayer practice as ‘old normal’ for the ‘new normal’ is that we should pray, spontaneous, genuine and with our hearts and with faith. Prayer practice as ‘old normal’ for the ‘new normal’ calls us to make prayer a practice rather than a law or a regulation. Prayer practice as ‘old normal’ for the ‘new normal’ calls us to a practice to meet with the Lord in some place at a specific time each day. At least Cornelius, Peter, John Wesley, Thomas and Mary Champness and others teach us that there is nothing wrong with regular specified times of prayer even in a ‘new normal’ as Divine solution to pandemic.