Wednesday, December 28, 2005

What are you praying for?

It's not exactly the best measure to go by but I always thought I'd finally be doing things right when my prayer life moved beyond me me me, to some more noble cause. Well, I hate to tell you, but for the most part it hasn't. But, for a brief moment, something was brought to my attention. And when it gets my attention it'll get prayed for. So, I was happy to note I was praying for something, someone, besides myself.
You see, the other day while driving home I noticed a police car. I thought about the unusual spot it was in and how it didn't have a car in front of it so obviously it wasn't in that spot because he'd pulled someone over. Then, maybe 50 feet away I noticed a man running, and the cop was running right behind him.
Immediately my sense of adventure and justice told me to pull onto the street next to them - immediately visions of medals and commendations from the mayor are dancing before my mind, newspaper headlines about the girl that stopped a crook. In reality it'd be more like a fine for interfering and causing the cop to lose his prey, but hey....
by the way, I didn't do that.
I kept on driving down the road, but I did begin praying that God would give the cop strength to catch the bad guy. I can't imagine the courage it takes to chase down some guy that you don't know anything about except that they break the law. And while, I know the problems with our justice system very well, I am now, thanks to the events of that night, motivated to pray all the more, because of the problems I know of. So they don't go after some of the people they should because they're scared of retaliation?
Pray courage and wisdom for them. Peace and comfort for their families.
Pray for your city's judges and attorneys that the criminals would receive just sentences, so the cops don't have to chase the same guy 15 times only to have him be released.
Pray for the inhabitants of your city that God would touch their hearts and lives, that He would deliver them from the bondage of sin. And that these people, your neighbors (whether you like it or not!) would come to know Jesus Christ as their Redeeming Lord and Savior.
Pray for your Churches, that they would preach the truth in it's piercing entirity. And that with hearts overflowing with compassion, they would reach out to the lost in the city. Not with the sole purpose of getting them to church, but with the purpose of introducing them to a friend that will stick closer than a brother.
Pray for your heart. That God would fill it to overflowing with a love and burden for the lost in your city. Becuase truly, you aren't in your city to work for money, but to work for Christ. Your city, has the exact people in it that God knew you would witness to.
Mark 16:14-20
14Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." 19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

3 comments:

Flyawaynet said...

Hey Daz, thanks. Isn't it amazing what it takes to get us to stop and pray sometimes?

SHELTONSFAMILY said...

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A "WALK TO EMMAUS" OR A "JOURNEY TO DEMASCUS"

Flyawaynet said...

Hi SheltonsFamily, thanks for visiting. I really haven't read anything about the 'Road to Emmaus" except what's in the bible concerning Christ's appearing to the two walking to Emmaus. :)
Have you?
Also, I stopped by your blog, congratulations on the coming baby. :)