Today is a day of prayer and fasting for Haitian adoption. It brings me such joy to know I am in community today praying with so many other families. We are praying for miracles in the process, paperwork, governments, and as always, praying for the children we know there and have become personally attached to!
What does God’s Word tell us about prayer?
*Prayer is for us. God gives us peace when we pray because we are entrusting all things to Him, remembering how He loves us, remembering He always hears us, remembering He has good intentions toward us, therefore resulting in thanks and peace. (Philippians 4:6-7)
*Prayer is developing a relationship between us and God. There is no relationship without fellowship, talking, listening, and even an exchange of emotions. Our relationship with God is absolutely as close as we will let it be. He lives inside of us! He is near to all who call on Him (Ps. 145:18) and says to call to Him and He will answer (Jeremiah 33:3).
*Prayer is for God. He delights in His children coming to Him with every thing. He’s a Father who can see way ahead, who disciplines us for our good, and who loves to meet our needs. But I think when we get past all we are asking for, and settle in His arms as a daughter or son who lives in quiet trust of who He is, that is utter sweetness to Him.
*Prayer is for the world. It’s for others. We absolutely are called to enter into other’s sufferings in prayer and many other ways as well. We can take God’s Word right back to Him and say:
God, Your Word says- “He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.” Ps. 146:7-9 Therefore I know that whatever You are doing, in whatever way You do it, in whatever timing You choose, You are all about this.
I am too small to understand the intricacies of governments, war, terror, poverty, and adoption law, but I can pray to my God who is not intimidated by anything or anyone, and I can spur on His actions (“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective!” James 5:16) in courtrooms, countries, orphanages, villages, and schools. And I truly believe that prayer isn’t about getting the results we desire as much as it is about submitting to God, trusting He has got this, and becoming long-term seekers of feeling what He feels and feeling it with Him.
Praying and fasting isn’t about getting what we want, it’s about crying out to God from right where we are spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally, and having Him bring us closer and higher…all the while, believing we can move the mountains He chooses to move right alongside Him.
