1 Timothy 2:1-4 “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
As the nurse took my blood pressure a couple of weeks ago during my annual physical, I decided to gather information like a man of the 16th century and asked about COVID-19 cases at her office. Her first response didn’t surprise me. She said the physicians were seeing about one or two weekly patients each, none requiring hospitalization. Then, unprompted, she added that they were seeing a sharp increase in cases of anxiety and depression, far more than the number of COVID cases. Maybe that shouldn’t have surprised me, but I would have expected to hear this from a psychiatrist, not the local family practice.
With cities burning, riots in the streets, vigilantes, anarchist mobs, lost jobs, division, and isolation, no wonder our society, already unbalanced by meds and self-absorption, is falling down an airless mineshaft of angst. Even the most positive person cannot escape a feeling of hopelessness and gloom in this year 2020.
What to do? For the Christian, there is one obvious action that applies to every one of us – no better way to confront the issues of our age and of our nation, no better way to use our time, than to go before our Almighty God in prayer. Years ago my wife, Dawn, and I began the habit of taking long walks in our neighborhood and praying as we walk. Over this past summer we’d found ourselves praying frequently and fervently for America. This led to a simple fast, foregoing dinner one night a week to spend extended time in prayer for our nation. That, in turn, led me to reserve an outdoor structure on our church property and invite others to pray every Monday evening through November 2nd. A small gathering has been meeting now for the past two Mondays and will continue for the next six weeks. It has been a huge uplift for all of us and I can’t wait for the next one. Contact me if you’d like to join us.
Prayer is vital to staying connected to the Vine. John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” By praying, I acknowledge God’s presence and power, his sovereignty over all things. God delights when I grasp this reality. It calms and centers me when I orient myself to the truth about God in relation to the world around me. Setting aside focused time to pray is far better than overdosing on social media or the unending news cycle or potent chemicals. And it is far better than trying to go my own way and live by my own (unreliable) wits.
Father, Thank you that your eyes are on the righteous and your ears attentive to their cry (Psalm 34:15). Echoing the words of the prophet Daniel I say to you, “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are yours. You change times and seasons; you depose kings and raise up others. You give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” (Daniel 2:20-21).
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This week: What could be better than to set aside a solid hour for prayer about all that concerns you and weighs down our country? Invite your spouse, your children, a friend or a group of friends to pray with you. Consider praying and fasting together. See what fruit grows out of it as you do the most basic thing a Christian can do, something which unquestionably brings joy to our Heavenly Father. And to you.
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