Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Who needs Jesus?

I just came back from a meeting of guys that get together to pray on a weekly basis. For the last portion of the evening we gather up a list of people to pray for. We prefer to lay hands on, & pray for those within the group, but most often the need is for those outside the group. Tonight there were 7 of us. We generated a list of approximately 20 people that we knew directly who all needed prayer. The needs ranged from people suffering from physical ailments, broken hearts, to struggling with faith, getting a job, etc. I was both amazed at the sheer number of people in need (given there were only 7 of us), and the degree with which their need was. I mean, if the 7 of us were a sample of the entire, say Christian population, then I am blown away by the need of the entire world. How easy it is to get overwhelmed at the needs pf the world. Where do you start? You start by praying for those that you know. Whomever God puts on your heart at that time. And of course, you could always say something to God at the end of your prayer like, :...and all those other people I have forgotten."

One thing I often get caught up in, is the "I'm too cool for God" mentality. I keep thinking that I don't needs God's healing, & grace. Quite the opposite. Although I can't find the quote right now, Don talks about it in Blue Like Jazz. It's worth a read if you haven't.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, the list did seem to grow last night, but it seemed right. Even though more often than not, I sit very calm during prayer, I feel like crying out to Jesus praying, "God we lift all these people up to you. In the name of your son Jesus, heal them!"

But I don't.

Why? Maybe cause I don't truly feel like I need Jesus. I praise him when I have positive accomplishments, but bask in my sorrows, not looking to him when life isn't all that great.