**This post is updated as of 7-25-14**
It is one thing to let your past mistakes overwhelm your present. That can be paralyzing and destructive if left unchecked. But what about when our hearts bear the pain and suffering of those near and far? Those who are family, might as well be family, or you’ve never even met but are in great distress? How do we handle the immense grief?
We intercede in prayer.
That weight on your soul is there as a reminder from the Spirit to come
low and raise up others.
Lately I’ve been thinking nonstop of what I might be able to
DO
to alleviate the sorrow, misery or persecutions I see daily.
When I see a dear friend I met deep in the mama-trenches
rally troops to Pray for Hannah – her one-year-old – I want others to
join. I saw the pain when this same
disease stole her sister-in-law too soon from their family. I remember the “why”s and the “how”s that
flowed in tears and I can feel powerless – except that prayer is MIGHTY!!
When I see tens of thousands of children alone and
parentless fighting for the hope of a better life, I want to go and gather them
all in. I want to wash their hair and
tuck them in. I want to help them find
their mamis and papis who came before – or were left behind. I want to protect them from those who would
take advantage. I want freedom and
safety and childhood for them and I can feel powerless – except that prayer is MIGHTY!!
My heart shuddered this week when I learned of a child being taken from the only family he’s ever known and returned to a biological family
who never wanted him out of jealousy! This is not a jealousy for the child, but a jealousy
of the child and “if I can’t have it, you cant either” pettiness. What terror must fill his breaking heart and
the ache filling those who are his heart parents, brother, and sister! And I feel powerless against a Ugandan
government – except that prayer is
MIGHTY!!
My mind cannot fathom the daily life with an invading
terrorist organization that would mark homes with a letter to signify faith –
or mere genetics – as grounds for targeting. When the difference between a Y or X chromosome demands mutilation (**ISIS is denying this claim and will be removed if found to be false). When one tries to “love first, and ask questions later” with preemptive love (** use this link to make a donation) to heal hearts by surgery and compassion and is rewarded with pursuit and
harassment, I can feel powerless against such evil – except that prayer is MIGHTY!!
Lets not forget the schoolgirls taken by Boko Haram, because
they were schoolgirls and now their families are being attacked! People of
all ages and both genders trafficked for pleasure and profit around the
world. Passenger planes shot down out of
the sky for no apparent reason at all.
Movie theatres, schools, and shopping malls that become shooting
galleries all for a hurting soul that wants others to feel the same pain. Fires are raging, drought is devastating, and
waters are ravaging our land across the map.
So many questions with so few answers: what can I do, how
can I help, how is this stopped or fixed or changed? It all becomes overwhelming and can paralyze
in the same way as past mistakes – except that prayer is MIGHTY!!
When we feel as if we can do nothing, we can always
pray! In fact, that is our calling, our
job. We lift up family, friend, and
enemy alike and in it all we ask for the God of the universe to be glorified
and for Him to be made known. Friend,
there is power in intercession and sometimes we are then shown what else we can
do and how we can be used.
What hurt is overwhelming you right now? What can I lift up in prayer for you and with
you?
Amy, this is such a great post and I love everything about it. I don't have time to follow the news often, so I didn't know these things were going on. But it's horrible to hear, and it's so true that intercessory prayer is the biggest and most important thing we can do. I've seen firsthand how much it saves lives just this year. I'm trying to get better about praying for world events. It's not easy for me, but I'm learning to lift it up as it crosses my mind throughout the day and also to cry out to God that He'd enter into our politics and educational systems and corporations and institutions just like we need Him to enter into our personal lives. Thanks for this, Amy. I really loved it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kim! You are praying for YOUR world and the people in it. You've seen what prayer can do and that is the encouragement we often need to keep doing it.
DeletePrayer is mighty because of the Almighty to whom we pray. I find that knowing God more is the only way I can stand in the face of injustice, abuse, and horror.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and I love the verse and picture!
Oh yes! I can't believe I didn't make the point that is is because of Who we pray to, not the act of praying. Thank you for pointing that out, Becky. Come home with me sometime and I'll take you to that waterfall. It's near the top of a mountain. You'd love it!
DeleteHi Amy ... I'm so grateful that this, the only thing I can do, is the most powerful thing I can do.
ReplyDeletePrayer ... the mountain mover.
Amen, Linda! There are some big mountains in this world!
Delete