I am simply one among many people who are concerned and alarmed by world events.
- Multiple nations, including America, are slipping away from democratic norms and facing autocratic leadership.
- Nations seem capable of investing in military might, but unable to address the health of their citizens, not to mention the millions in faraway countries who are on the brink of starvation.
- In the last two months, Russia is reported to have lost 35,000 soldiers through death or severe wounds. There is no accounting for the number of Ukrainians who have died or been wounded.
- Similarly, there is no accounting for the deaths of men, women, and children in the Middle East during the recent conflicts taking place there.
I am thankful that Pope Leo provides millions of Catholics a monthly prayer focus that often addresses world issues. I don’t always follow the Pope’s prayer initiative, but I am encouraged to know that there are faithful Catholics and Protestants who are asking God to come to the aid of our troubled world.
I agree with Paul that I don’t know what to pray (Romans 8:26), so I often bring my concerns to God and pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Again, I am encouraged to trust that millions of Jesus’ disciples pray this each day.
This persistence in prayer is not a fruitless endeavor. Jesus encouraged continual prayer by telling a parable about an unjust judge and a widow who kept coming to him for justice. Jesus’ conclusion should encourage us to do the same.
And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them’ (Luke 18:7-8).
Relentless Faith
Isaiah encourages us to see that this kind of intercession goes beyond a one-time request. Whether we see immediate results or not, this kind of prayer is a persistent, vocal, and active partnership with God’s promises.
Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have posted sentinels;
all day and all night
they shall never be silent.
You who remind the Lord,
take no rest,
and give him no rest
until he establishes Jerusalem
and makes it renowned throughout the earth. (Isaiah 62:6-7)
Many have taken this passage literally and have traveled to Jerusalem to pray within her walls for the peace of the city. I trust that millions around the world take the sentiment of these verses and pray for Jerusalem and the world’s needs on a daily basis.
This prayer is not filled with selfish requests. The persistent prayer of the sentinels is aligned with God’s purposes.
In the same way, Jesus encouraged us to take up His agenda when we pray. He said, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7).
I can’t imagine a better way to join in praying for God’s purposes to be accomplished than to pray the Lord’s Prayer from the heart on a regular basis.
Prayer is an Action Word
Notice the shift from praying in verses 6-7 to doing in verse 10.
Go through, go through the gates;
prepare the way for the people;
build up, build up the highway;
clear it of stones;
lift up an ensign over the peoples. (Isaiah 62:10)
It was time for prayer in a men’s small group. One man hung his head a little and told the group that because he was unemployed, his family’s electricity was about to be shut off. The men agreed to pray for his needs.
Another man in the group had saved money to purchase a new fishing rod and reel, and the amount happened to be exactly what the first man needed. He stopped the others from praying and said, “I have it. I have exactly what he needs for his bill.”
This is a small example of those times when God wants us to be the answer to the prayers we pray.
I recently visited a couple who, like me, are stressed about what’s going on in the world. They felt completely overwhelmed. When we feel overwhelmed, we can remember the starfish story. Do you recall it?
A man walks along the beach, throwing washed-up starfish back into the ocean. Another person tells him there are so many starfish that he can’t possibly make a big difference. As he throws another starfish into the water, he replies, “Well, I made a difference for that one.”
We can put our prayers into action this way. Let’s pray for the world every day. Let’s pray persistently for the world.
But let’s also do our best to help the person right in front of us who needs God’s love and care.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 