"Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch." Isaiah 62:1 NLT
As I was running the streets of El Paso last week, I couldn't help but think that the timing of our family vacation was perfect. On a whim just two weeks before (previous to the mass shooting that killed 22 people), my husband said he felt the need to go see his parents (something we usually don't do this time of year) and off we went. And as I explored the city by foot as is my norm, God’s perfect timing allowed me to pray over this town that had so recently experienced such an egregious act of violence. I prayed for healing, I prayed for revival and I prayed for restored hope. And just as I was finishing up my run that first morning we were there, I spotted three men working on an old pickup near my in-laws home. "Hi there! Have you been running long?" one of the men asked. “Actually I have, for almost two hours," I responded as I smiled, adding "and I've been praying for you and the city of El Paso the whole time." At that proclamation, all the men stopped what they were doing and, misty-eyed, took turns shaking my hand as one of them said, "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to us. You really don't."
And you know, in times of crisis and deep sorrow, many people feel helpless and so simply do nothing. But guess what? We are never helpless because each one of us can and should pray for those in need of hope just as the prophet Isaiah did. In fact, Isaiah's great love for Zion, prompted him to proclaim, "I will not keep still... I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her..." You see, he wanted the people of Jerusalem to know there was hope and refused to give up in his pursuit to spread that message.
So when you feel led to pray for someone my friend, pray for them unceasingly. And if you feel prompted to tell them that you are praying for them, don't hesitate to tell them so. After all, hearing that someone cares about them enough to lift them up to the Father in prayer could be the very thing that restores the hope they might have lost.
Heavenly Father, thank You for arranging divine appointments such as this. Lord, help us to be so sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit's promptings that we would pray for all those needs and people You have placed on our hearts. And then may our words bring healing and hope to those who so desperately need it. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
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