“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
This morning I began my prayer time and I had so many deep, personal, prayer requests of friends and people which with whom I have formed relationships.
· A good friend of mine has a mass in him the doctors found and has to have a CT scan.
· A friend of mine co-worker’s elementary age son was diagnosed with cancer and given 10 months to live.
· A friend shared his wife’s nephews has a drug addiction that is effecting the whole family.
· A waitress we are helping is struggling with drug addictions that are destroying her life.
· Financial fears and looming possible bankruptcy of another couple.
· A teenage girl is sadly remembering the anniversary of her mother’s death.
. The school shooting in Iowa.
. The wars in Palestine and Ukraine
And the list went on…
As I was praying this morning I was saddened by all of the prayer requests I had. But then I realized there was something sadder, not knowing anyone personally enough to deeply pray for them. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn…” (Matthew 5:4), because in order to mourn in prayer for someone, you first have to seek a relationship with them and be vulnerable enough to not only love them, but to allow them to love you.
You have to go beyond the shallow level of engaging a person in church or other places and exchanging the auto-pilot responses to each other of, “How are you” - ”I’m doing fine” and embrace the risk, compassion, access tp your life and time required to create a safe environment that allows the “Not so fine” responses to be heard.
A couple weeks ago we celebrated God’s ultimate example of “going” and embracing the risk, compassion and time required to enter into a world of “not so fine” and through becoming vulnerable he intimately bore our burdens and brought light and life into our darkness and pain. We are called to imitate Christ and follow his example. “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
Take a moment and reflect on your prayer time. Are there those you are praying for you encountered through going out and embraced the risk, compassion and time required to hear their “Not so fine” prayer requests? General prayers for things like world peace and our government are good, however, who are those co-workers, classmates, neighbors, friends, others) you mourn for in prayer because you stepped out of your comfort zone and sought and formed a relationship of intimacy? In this post-pandemic world we live in there are many people who are living in and experiencing “Not so fine”. Pray today for a boldness to take the risk and go, and that God will give you the unmistakable opportunity to push past exchanges of “Doing fine” and into the “Not so fine.”
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:13-16)
My family, I don’t want to travel this journey through the New Year of 2024 alone without the presence and prayers of those who I can share my “not so fine” moments that will come and I pray you do not want to as well. And I know that quite literally there are those who will not make it through their “not so fine” situations and make it through 2024 without being covered with prayer by people. people like you, in Jesus name. .
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.