A Call To Prayer

The results of the recent election have really saddened me. No, I didn't vote for a lot of the people elected or even who you might suspect I did. Short of a personal revival, I can't think of much that would excite me about our incoming elected leaders, but what has made me even sadder is the accusations and hurtful things being said on both sides of the fence by Christians. While I can understand the feelings and some of the reasons, my heart has been sad and aching.

As the kids and I read about the Pilgrims leaving Leiden and England to come to the New World, I cannot help but relate. I do not descend from the Mayflower Pilgrims but some of my ancestors were in Leiden, many of them were pastors persecuted by King James for preaching the Truth and many of them were Puritans who came across the Atlantic in the wave of immigration that followed the Puritans in the late 1620s-early 1630s. I don't know if that surge of passion I feel is genetically passed down or if it is unique and peculiar to my own personality, but lately I have been thinking, "God is it time for a New World? Where can we go to be safe to seek You and obey You?" Since the enemy is said to roam the whole earth, I guess it is safe to say that until death, there is no escaping his pranks, politics and tactics.

So, I have felt restless. I am caught in between the Now and the Not Yet. I don't expect everyone to agree with me (it's more important you agree with God than with me). But I have felt like I have walked in a spiritual no man's land where I am not accepted by many who find me too black and white and may even consider me "legalistic". On the other hand, many who might agree with much of what I think theologically do not accept me as equal because I don't dress appropriately, read the "correct" version of the Bible or do other things they deem necessary.

And here we are again, reduced down to Sadducees and Pharisees, arguing about jots and tittles, failing to praise and serve Him because we are afraid of losing out on our own agendas. I'm not suggesting we all hold hands and sing Kum Ba Ya! But I am saying that I am asking God to meet me in my loneliness and cleanse Me so that I will not be a "white washed sepulchre" and I am asking Him to show me where to focus my intensity, how to choose, how to worship and how to serve. I want Him to mold my heart so that it beats with His passion, NOT mine!

Whether or not you agree with me or with politics, whether you voted for and love who is coming into office or not, I think there is no time like the present, to gather and obey God's command to pray for our leaders! This is something that I have done off and on throughout my life, but something I would like to do more consistently now.

Last spring Precept Ministries sent out a Call To Prayer for our nation. In my opinion, the prayers should not end because the polls are closed. There is an interesting short video about the Fulton Street Revival, as well as a pdf document with information on praying. I'm inviting you, if you care to, to join me in praying for our country and for our newly elected President and for your state and local officials. Ask God to transform their hearts and lives and to hear His voice - not just what we want to have happen, but what HE wants for our officials and our neighborhoods and states and countries. For some time I have felt that it is time in America to pray for another great revival! While political causes can sometimes be good, let's not be remembered only for our positions on abortion, war, education and laws. Let's leave a Legacy of Faith that is a light to future generations. The "us" I refer to in "let's" is the Community of Faith, Believers in Jesus Christ across the nation and the World. In our efforts to lead people away from sin, let's lead them to a wonderful relationship with God.

I'm writing this, NOT because I feel I have all the world's answers. I have none. I'm writing this because sitting and moping in the darkness does nothing for me or for the people around me that the Lord loves and wants to bring into His Kingdom. Since the people who started this Call To Prayer began on Thursdays, I think I will choose that day to focus on these prayers. There is also more information at Presidential Prayer Team.

If you made it this far, thank you for listening to my heart.