Sydney Adventist Hospital (the San) will host 24 hours of praise, prayer, and fasting starting Friday evening, June 23, 2023, as an expression of gratitude for the way God has blessed the organization in the past and faith in His leading for the years to come.
A 24-hour prayer chain will start at 5 p.m. on Friday with a program in the San chapel and go all the way through to Saturday evening. The San chapel will be the hub of this event, with music, prayer, and Bible readings led by one person each hour; however, those who can’t be there in person can participate via Zoom and the hospital’s in-house TV channel for patients and staff on the wards.
“This is the first 24-hour prayer-and-fasting event of this nature held at the San in living memory, and it will be a very uplifting and unifying occasion,” said Brett Goods, San CEO. “We know God has richly blessed the organization every day since 1899, when He led Ellen White to choose the site the San is built on. We’ve been especially grateful for His protection during the pandemic, and we are also thankful for the way our community supports the San. This event is an opportunity for us to pray with, and for, our community.”
As well as participating in the 24-hour prayer session, people are invited to fast in a way that is appropriate for them.
“There is a notion in some regions that fasting is old-fashioned, or that it is only done to move the hand of God to do something we want,” said Dr. Steve Stephenson, acting director of Mission Integration at the San. “However, we believe fasting is a way to show the Lord that we love Him—that we’re keeping aside this time to very mindfully and purposefully fellowship with Him, deepen our relationship with Him, and not be distracted by the routine things we do every day of our lives.”
“There are good reasons why some people cannot fast from food, so they may choose to switch off their devices for 24 hours, or refrain from a favorite food, beverage, or a particular pastime; it is entirely up to the individual,” added Dr. Stephenson. “The Bible tells us that if we choose to fast, it is not to be a display of piety or somberness for other people to notice; it is to be done with a spirit of gladness and thanksgiving.”
The San’s 24-hour season of prayer, fasting, and thanksgiving is open to all who would like to join.
“The hospital looks after more than 200,000 patients each year,” said Goods. “We have a deeply loyal and supportive community, and this is our opportunity to pray for them and our patients, staff, doctors, volunteers, families, and suppliers. We welcome you to join us in person or online. Together, we can experience the profound source of peace and hope that comes with community in relationship with God.”
The original version of this story was posted by the Adventist Record website.