Sold Out!

Lately, the Lord has been leading me to think about systematic prayer. Some things are so important that we should pray about them daily; but it can be hard to remember to do so as other priorities take over. I feel strongly about many issues like hunger, homelessness, unjust persecution, and human trafficking. As I was considering these before the Lord, I was impressed with a system that I could incorporate into my daily activities and use to succeed in active, regular prayer.

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” 1 Peter 4:7

Here are some examples I pray and the system I developed. I hope will encourage you in your quest for systematic prayer.

The Hungry: As I give thanks for my food at mealtime, I pray for the hungry.

• I pray that the Lord will fill them with good things, and provide a daily portion.
• I pray that He would ease the pain of hunger, and bring compassionate people who are willing to share their abundance into the lives of the hungry.

The Homeless: As I lay my head down to sleep at night, I pray for the homeless.

• I pray that God will supernaturally keep them warm in the cold and provide shade in the heat.
• I pray that He will provide safe places where they may lay their heads and that the Lord will give them rest.

The Persecuted: After morning Bible reading, I pray for the persecuted church.

• I pray that the Lord will show Himself in a powerful way to give them strength to endure, to overcome fear, ease their suffering and remain steadfast until the end.
• I pray that their testimony will be strong, that their suffering will not be in vain, and that their tormentors will encounter Jesus and be converted.

The Trafficked: As I am driving in my car, I pray for those that are trafficked and forced into slavery.

• I pray that God will comfort the sex slaves, that He sees their tears and dries them.
• I pray especially for the children, that God will show His mercy.
• I pray that as they are defiled Jesus will wash them in His love and show Himself in an intimate way.
• I also pray that they will be visible to those who will help them to escape.

I would love to hear your system of prayer, so please comment below!

Debbie

It was a sunny afternoon when Howie and I were pulled off the highway fixing lunch at a lake. A man (who I will call “John,” to protect his privacy) heard Howie playing music. He came up and asked what kind of guitar Howie was playing. After some conversation, Howie asked him to join us for lunch. He replied, “No, thanks” and started to leave. Howie shook his hand and said, “Man, it was great to meet you, John.” John’s response is vividly engraved in my mind as he said with amazement in his voice, “Wow, nobody ever says that to me. Usually people just tell me to get away.” You see, John was homeless, wearing a jacket and carrying his pack in hand. He didn’t look neat and kempt like the tourists in this area.

Howie began to share with him the value John had in the eyes of God. This is a priceless message to those who feel like the offscouring of the Earth. It is really heartbreaking to think there are so many around us who feel worthless, ashamed, and alone because hard times hit.

We ended up praying with him, hugging him as tears streamed down his cheeks. Howie gave him a Living Water: The Gospel of John that is small enough to fit in his pack – some encouragement for the dark, lonely days and a copy of his CD “Wayfarin Strangers Amped”. As John left Howie told him he loved him that Jesus loves him, hugging him again. Tears softened his eyes, and John went his way, deeply touched, apologizing for crying.

Many of us pass the homeless regularly. What is our response? Are we inconvenienced by their presence? Do we wish they would just go away, take a bath and somehow not disrupt our view? Or, do we see them as dearly loved by our Heavenly Father and therefore, by us. My heart is challenged to respond to the “lowly” in our communities with kindness and mercy.

Heavenly Father, make us vessels of your love. Show us how to personally care for those we see that are in the greatest need a touch from you today.

“…Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” Matthew 24:34-36

My friend was feeling frustrated because she had been traveling a considerable amount with her husband and said, “I just can’t seem to focus or function well when I am away so much. I don’t know how you do it, being on the road all the time.”

My response was simply, “You need to forget about home.”

I certainly found it hard to live a normal life when Howie and I began the ministry. But I found a way to wrap my mind around “normal” and “away”, finding the delicate balance where I can function productively.

Why the need to forget about home?

Imagine with me that we are away on the other side of the country. All is unfamiliar and new. The mind wants to wander back, by default, to find comfort in the familiar, the structure of routine and the motions of habit.

 Change the mind’s default

Howie and I live on the road full time and don’t have a home to return to in the way that most people in America do. There is no comfort found when I ponder the popular idea of “home”. I needed to change the default for home to land in another place.

Redefining home

Transforming the definition of home in your mind can be revolutionary. I have shifted my focus to make home my very present state and therefore I function with all of its seeming comforts.

My home is where I live
My home is here, where my feet are standing
and
My home is heavenly

Where I am is where I live. So, remember this if you happen to be showing hospitality to us “Wayfarin’ Strangers”. We can experience a moment of life together.

At home wherever I am

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-21