Do you ever have one of those moments where you’re physically present but mentally checked out?
That was me after church today. My team and I are doing an Unsung Heroes month here in Kuala Lumpur. The purpose of Unsung Heroes is to find new ministries or people in the area who are doing incredible work to further the Kingdom. After a little bit of internet research we decided to check out Harvest church (which is conveniently located about four train stops away from where we’re staying) in hopes of finding just such people.
Instead of socializing after church was over, however, I found myself aimlessly wandering around. My mind was consumed by thoughts of what I was going to eat for lunch, whether or not it would make me sick, if I even really wanted to try to eat and risk getting sick, etc. (I’ve been having a lot of issues eating lately). I was floating in and out of a conversation with a potential contact from Harvest with one of my teammates, Jordan, when an older woman came over to us and asked where we were from. When she found out we were from America, she got really excited and asked if she could pray for us.
Her prayer, friends, is one of those life changing moments that you don’t realize is taking place until it’s over.
She prayed with gusto and fire and passion that I couldn’t believe came out of such a tiny older woman. She prayed that we would find our calling in Malaysia. She prayed for the people to look at us and not be attracted to us because we’re westerners, but because we have a friendly spirit and light inside of us that they want to have, too. She prayed for us to have loving marriages and beautiful Christian families one day. What caught me off guard, though, was the way she ended her prayer. She didn’t pray for blessings over her country or for our time here like many people often do. She prayed for America.
She prayed that we would have a Christian president come into power.
She prayed that we would take a stand for what is right.
She prayed that we would be a country who lives out the teachings of the Bible.
She prayed for my generation to wake up and act on what Jesus calls us to.
This is the part of the prayer that opened my eyes to the brokenness of my home land; the words that changed my life were spoken by a woman that I didn’t even know.
When she finished praying I found out that her name was Esther. She was drawn to Jordan and I for a few reasons; one being that she has two kids of her own that are around our age who live in different countries. The other was that we are young American Christians. She went on to share that HER heart breaks for OUR country and that she prays for our nation, especially her brothers and sisters in Christ living in the United States, regularly.
Immediately my entire perspective was shifted. While I’m serving people overseas, there are so many unreached groups back in America desperately waiting for someone to minister to them. To remind them that they’re not alone; that they’re here for a much bigger purpose; that they’re cherished and delighted in by the creator of all things in existence. I realized that you don’t have to be serving the hungry, clothing the homeless, or loving on orphans around the world to share the love of Jesus Christ. You can be a light for him in your college classroom, your office at work, or at your local grocery store.
There’s a song that goes-
“someone in this generation is going to make a noise that’s going to shake a nation”.
While I’m very literally out in the nations sharing the gospel for the next 7 months, I’m going to go back home. But the same God that is living in me now, that fills me with passion and love, will be living in me when I return to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Esther helped me to realize that I have a powerful voice that can help to shake nations alive to the gospel. That this dark and scary world that we live in today is only going to get worse if Christians don’t take a stand. The love and determination for Jordan and I (two girls she just met) that this woman carries is only a glimpse into the heart that the father has for me; for us; for this generation.
Let’s act on it.
