Friday, November 14, 2008

Do you REALLY believe in prayer?

Do you REALLY believe that prayer works? Do you really believe that God takes an active interest in the things that happen in the world today?

If you do believe this - how does that affect your prayer life?

I only ask these questions out loud, because they resonate through my head a lot.

Can God ... or even ... will God change things for better?

I just read an online article about the shooting at the convenience store last night. There were 3 shootings in the city last night - they were all related. 2 people are dead. The young woman who was killed 1/2 block from me was closing the store and was killed ... probably for money. The shooting a few minutes before that at 50th & Underwood happened after a man withdrew funds from an ATM. And just a few minutes before that, the killers were at 15th & Dorcas.

The article said that there have been 7 people killed this month from gun violence. The month isn't even 1/2 over!

Have you made a concerted effort (not just a short, one-sentence prayer), but a concerted intercessory effort for this city lately? Let me tell you - if it can reach my neighborhood, it can reach yours.

Will you pray for this community? Will you pray for the young people that are using violence to meet some need in their lives? Carol teaches 6th grade in a school that sees its share of kids from severely broken and messed up homes. She recognizes immediately that there are kids who will find themselves in gangs and lives that will lead absolutely nowhere. She offers them all that she can, but is limited by so many things when it comes to changing their lives for the better. She can't do it ... only God can.

At Bible Study yesterday morning, we talked about how there are people that need God so badly in their lives. We can't change them, though. Only God can do it.

If you can find ways to be actively involved in changing lives ... do it! If you can't ... intercede in prayer.

1 comment:

Cyberteen said...

that
is
SOO
creepy....
Me and Adam wondered why there were SO many sirens and police cars passing close by grace Uni all night long... It was quite annoying to be honest but until know I didn't understand why! Its crazy how much violence goes on inside Omaha and close to Grace, just the other day an old lady was getting out of her car and a black suburban pulled up next to her, robbed her at gun-point, and bashed her over the head with the gun. This all took place right next to my school in the house they are re-walling. This is a place where I walk by every couple of hours let alone live next too! Oohhh man... this world is messed up!