Prayer With Boots On!
Tonight at mid-week prayer, the subject of intercession as a continual act of being in tune to the Holy Spirit throughout a day as opposed to laborious hours travailing over another's need, was presented. Not that the second definition doesn't have its place, but God has long impressed upon me the imperative nature of being willing to be part of the desired answer!
If we are praying for God's Spirit to move over a city, how are we taking Christ to the street, our workplace, places of education, sports, and the mall?
If we are praying for the needs of others in our lives, how are we putting action to those prayers in reaching out to meet those needs?
If we are praying for our politicians and decision-makers in our towns, regions and nations, how are we impacting these people for Christ?
Driving to get my daughter the other day around dinner time, I saw a guy at a bus stop across from my building. He was sitting there with his head in his hand, elbows resting on his knees. I have no idea what he was going through at that moment, but I prayed as I drove past, asking God to meet whatever that need was at that moment, asking God to make Himself real to this person. I have no idea who they are, but that wasn't the point. God impressed upon me to pray for that man at that moment.
It isn't enough to sit in a room in one's church or sit in the privacy of one's home, and pray for the world around us. Prayer has feet! In Ephesians 6 we read of feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace, as the KJV puts it. This preparation is found throughout Scripture as time spent in communication, in communion with, in developing a deeper relationship with Almighty God. Christ modelled this by going off numerous times alone, to spend time in His Father's presence. However Christ didn't merely stay in those times, didn't merely crave those times, and didn't teach that such was all there was to His relationship with His Father. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) all paint a very active picture of Christ out there among the people. He is seen healing, forgiving, touching, sharing, and even sparring with the leaders of His day. If we truly desire to become more like Christ, then it behooves us to learn how to put feet to our prayers and be God's hand extended to the world around us.
As one author put it, Christ is looking for a Bride wearing combat boots! We can't spend any amount of appreciable time in His presence without inevitably learning what beats His heart and being moved to do something about it.
