It is now my second month here in Africa, and I’m having trouble finding the right words to explain what life is like here.
Africa is amazing—the country, the people, the culture, everything—truly amazing. This month, as you may know, I am living with all of the guys. We are living in a school where we teach children basic english and serve them food. It is very much like a preschool. We have been here for just over a week now and we are loving it. As we are building relationship with the children, we will soon go with them to visit their families and then preach the good news of Christ to their parents and siblings. Our outreach will begin sometime this week so please be praying for us as we meet with the families and tell them of the love of Jesus.
Let me tell you of a beautiful occurrence that took place yesterday.
Early in the morning, about 4:30, we set out to climb the largest mountain in Blantyre. We walked through many villages to get to the base of the mountain and begin out ascension. As we were hiking up this very large mountain I began to hear noises coming from somewhere on the mountain. I asked my friend and guide, Maximus, what the noise was and he said it was people praying. The voices began to grow louder as we climbed, then they started singing, their beautiful voices where echoing off the mountain. Max told me that these people had been on the mountain all night worshiping God and praying for their city.
I was so amazed. These people loved their city so much that they were crying out for God to intervene. They were laying down their comforts and desires to pray for the people of their city. They truly understood the power of prayer.
For the rest of the hike I was thinking about those people and their boldness. It challenged me. How often do I pray as they were? How often have I put other things in front of praying. Do I actually understand the power of prayer? All these questions were bouncing around my mind. And I’ll be honest with you, many times I do not pray as they were and I forget the power of prayer.
How often do WE forget the power of prayer? How often do we pray for our city as these people were?
I need to be constantly reminded that because of what Jesus did, we can now BOLDLY approach the throne of God through prayer. (Hebrews 10:19) (1 Timothy 2:5)
I urge you take hold of this boldness. Pray not just for your friends and family but for your city, your state, your country. Pray for our fellow brothers and sisters across the world spreading the name of the Gospel. Pray for Christians everywhere to take a stand and to be firm in the truth of the Word. And pray for those that have not heard or do not know of the great love of Christ. Pray for hearts to be broken and lives to be changed. Pray with confidence!
We pray, and God responds. Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9–10). He makes a clear connection between seeking things from God and receiving them.
When we ask, God responds.
GOD IS GOOD
