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These are tumultuous days around the world. As I watch and listen to the news today, I can’t help but think about these things:
- We North Americans are notoriously ignorant of geography, culture, and history. We have little knowledge of the world beyond our immediate surroundings and situation—yet the majority of the world live far from us, most often in countries that have existed much longer than ours. And, seldom do we pray for people and places we don’t know.
- Despite our lack of knowledge of the globe, we really are interconnected with people around the world. Just listening to the news and learning about the number of internationals who live in the region where I live have reminded me of this reality. Human connections leap across oceans and geopolitical boundaries. That truth ought to increase my praying for peoples around the world.
- Human sinfulness is deeply entrenched. From the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, sin has led to persons turning against persons, family members turning against family members, and nations turning against nations. Evil turns on evil even as it multiplies itself—and it just seems to keep on growing.
- For many believers around the world, life is more treacherous than most of us can imagine.Those of us who know only peace and freedom have little understanding of what others face. Ongoing war. Persistent famine. Overwhelming poverty. Growing persecution. And on and on. Nor, on the other hand, do we know just how powerful faith can be when Christ is one’s hope in the midst of dark days.
- We send missionaries into risky places. I suppose we know that fact intellectually, but we don’t think about it much until the danger of the world stares us in the face. What most amazes me is that single after single and couple after couple, young and old, with children in arms or as empty-nesters continue to follow God’s call into tough areas.
- I don’t pray enough for leaders of nations around the world. This is my personal confession—despite my heart for missions and my desire to reach the nations, I don’t always intercede for those in authority outside of our continent. I need to start praying for believing leaders to follow the Lord and for non-believing leaders to turn to Him—for our allies and our enemies.
- I have a responsibility as a church leader to encourage church members to pay attention to the news. Just as the news of the day has challenged me to pray, so might it challenge other believers to do the same. In fact, perhaps God will burden someone from the next generation of missionaries via the news they hear today. He does work in unusual ways, you know . . .
- The gospel of Jesus Christ is still the answer for all people everywhere. It truly is. . . . and it remains our responsibility to take that message to the ends of the earth. Hearts transformed by the power of Christ will transform history.
Would you join me in praying for the nations and their leaders today–beginning with our own nation?
