“Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow us to speak your word boldly. Show your power by healing, performing miracles, and doing amazing things through the power and the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
When the apostles had finished praying, their meeting place shook. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:29-31 GW)
Climbing gas prices, flood waters in Iowa, war in Iraq, job layoffs, recession… the news these days is pretty threatening.
How do we face these threatening times?
When the first century Christians faced threatening times they didn’t pray as one might expect. They didn’t pray, “God, where are you? Get us out of this mess!”
It’s really amazing how they did respond. They prayed, “Lord, you focus on the threats, we’re going to stay focused on speaking your Word.”
They saw threatening times as an opportunity to trust God more and spread the good news to those who were lost. They prayed not for better times, but for better focus and better boldness. They trusted that God was in charge of the circumstances. They decided not to worry about the part of life that only God could manage anyway.
When they asked God to handle the threats (the things that had them worried and afraid) and to give them the focus to share his good news to those who needed to hear it, God heard their prayer. I think God must love it when we pray like that. They prayed for courage instead of comfort. Their prayer moved God. And God moved them back. In fact, He shook the place!
So, here’s how I’m praying these days: “God, you handle the gas prices, the economic downturn, the natural disasters, and the war. God, you handle the health problems and the money problems. God, you pay attention to those things that threaten me. Give me the power to focus on where you’re already at work. Help me to see where I can encourage others with your Word. Help me to see threatening times as times under your control. Replace my fear with boldness. In the name of your holy servant, Jesus. Amen.”
But doesn’t that involve yielding control?
That seems dangerous . . . but it is a dangerous faith we are called to, isn’t it?
Oh LORD, to live our lives in your yoke, under your control!