far be it from me...

praying...


this is about 2 experiences with intercessory prayer.

the first is from my first visit to a church here in liberia. it is known that you should be prepared to speak when you visit...a short message or at least a prayer. i was one of 5 mercy shippers at this particular church and one was a frequent male visitor to the church. so i wasn't worried. there was a printed bulletin of order of service and as the pastor talked about the service order he changed it to be that one of "our foreign guests" will pray for liberia. as a whole the 4 others turned to me...what?!?! how did i get elected? so, i had to get up and pray for liberia at church. it isn't even that i mind praying...i like to pray, but i hate praying out loud. in my head is easy...out loud gets a bit jumbled and rambling and then i worry about it and then it gets stilted and starts coming from my head and not my heart. but i survived. and God is teaching me to pray on the spot for others, out loud!, instead of saying, i will pray for you and then doing it during my alone time with Him later.


the second is one of answered prayer. one of my regular prayers to the Father is that i will be frequently burdened to pray for my family and friends. and burden is not really the right word but it is the word that i started praying and kept praying. praying for family and friends is not a burden...generally. a while back, the Father answered this prayer very literally. i was very specifically burdened to pray for one of my friends. and b/c this was one who i had a deep connection with already, the burden felt as if it would break my heart. this burden lasted for several weeks and i felt as if i was being wrecked. finally, i prayed that He would take this burden away...and He did. it was awful! i hated the being wrecked but i hated the giving up even more. and it left a very certain void in my heart where this burden once stood. after a few days, i prayed He would return the burden and He was gracious enough to give it back, but not as it was before. i had been entrusted with something precious and then rejected it. so when it was returned, it was not to the same depth. and i felt the loss acutely. and i learned the lesson He was teaching in it as well. now, i am ready to be wrecked for my family and friends as He leads knowing He will not burden more than He can carry me thru.


I Sam 12:23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you.