In the Gap

Many times in the Christian community, when we pray for someone who is not present in the church service, we stand in the gap in prayer for that person.  In proxy.  But what about the people who do not have anyone to pray for them, to stand in the gap for them?  There are many people around the world who need prayer.  They may be Christians who are being killed, or non-Christians who do not know who Jesus is.  They may not even care who he is. 

Every day, people leave for work, their children leave for school, and they did not even thank God for waking them that morning, never mind asking Him to go with them throughout the day.  Many people feel like they are living life under their own steam and do not need any help from above.  It could be too, that they did not do it because they did not know to do it.  Besides, you would have to believe God can really help you to ask right?

And that’s OK, because when they get a revelation that there is a God and that they could rely on him in the good times and the bad, they will talk to him more.  They will pray.  They will rely on God to protect their children from the craziness they face at school every day.  They will rely on him to protect them during their commute, at work, and even in their relationships.  They will get a revelation that it is God who made us, who protects us, who wakes us in the morning and takes us through the day. They will realize that prayer before leaving the house is just as important as a good breakfast!

With everything that is going on in our world, what would be wrong with prayer? 

Well, in the meantime, maybe those of us who are Christians should stand in the gap.  Maybe in addition to praying for our family members we can pray for people around the world.  Maybe we can pray for Christians around the world who are going through things we cannot even imagine.  Maybe we should take a world view of our Christian beliefs, and really pray against all of the unbelievable things that are happening.  I believe we can really stand in the gap for the world. 

Many of us are taught to pray what we call ‘specific prayers’, rather than the typical general or generic prayer.  What should we pray for specifically? We can pray for Christian families who have been uprooted because of their beliefs.  We can pray against the kidnappings of children and women who are being used as sex-slaves.  We can pray against world-wide terrorism.  There is actually quite a bit we can and should be praying about.  As Christians, we cannot afford to pray the simple generic prayers anymore.  Life is no longer that simple.  We must pray for each other around the world.  We cannot afford to pretend that all is well because all is well with us.  We are our brother’s keeper.