"When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
It is important as much today as it was back in the time of the writing of Chronicles to examine our own hearts for sin before we would confront others. (For extra reading: Matthew 7:1-6) There has been no greater time for us as the people of God to cry out to God for His mercy and help--not only in our personal lives but for the life of our nation! People need the Lord! People need God's touch! People need God's grace and mercy!
It never became so clear to me until I was sitting in a small waiting area at a local county jail yesterday waiting to visit an individual. While sitting there a mother came in to check on her 19yr old daughter who had been arrested for a second time. The mother shared with me her broken heart as she wondered where she went wrong as she believed she had raised her daughter in the Lord and to make better decisions than she was making. While sitting there an officer brought a young man through, hands behind his back in handcuffs, crying loudly, as he was led back to the jail. Yet another group came in--two ladies and a young girl who was crying so hard she could not stand--coming in to report a rape. My heart in those few moments broke over and over again as I watched the pain happening before me.
My heart was drawn to prayer and I realized how much of a "bubble" we so often are in. We see violence on the news and it has now become an every day report and perhaps we grow numb to the pain and needs before us! I felt the Lord challenging me to become more fervent in prayer--not only for the needs that appear in the seeming safe bubble around me, but for the needs of our nation and the hurting around us!
Let us my friends become prayer warriors of the faith--not only for our own needs but when we hear of or see the needs of others--let us pray without ceasing for the mercy and grace of God to meet that need. I will never know the end result of the cry of my heart for those precious people I witnessed yesterday, but I know the God who hears prayer will work in each situation if I pray believing! Won't you join me!