Our family has been given the task of putting together our prayer team. Three pray-ers per person. You'd automatically list out your family or closest friends but as we were making our list, I balked. How do you chose, narrow it down? Do you pick those closest to you or look to those you know to be prayer warriors. Do you ask: Will they remember? Do they regularly communion with God? Do they take prayer seriously? Do they believe in our mission? Are they concerned for the hearts of CR?
It was during my whirlwind of thoughts, I was reminded of a flimsy paper back book I picked up at church one Wednesday evening. Ninety-five pages with a muted blue cover, worn binder and crumpled edges that was titled: The Power of Positive Praying. Obviously a loved, or at least a used, book.
Several years ago, in the process of our beloved pastor's retirement, he gave away many books from his library. Our now Pastor Emeritus is the reason we were drawn to our church. His sincerity in prayer is what attracted us. A man who humbled himself before God, who was concentrated in his words, specific in his requests, still before the Father with a heart and attitude that revered God. It was a biblical discipline that spoke louder than most sermons. He did not preach through his prayers, convict, sum up, or walk around that I recall. It was as if he was the only one present. Praying. Believing. Expecting. We were naturally drawn to any book he may have read to learn more about the biblical principle of prayer.
As soon as I remembered the book, I jumped up to find it. We have several book shelves in the house but this book I knew would be close to our bed. The funny thing about this book is it travels from my side to his side, back to my side. So I really had to look. There it was, in plain view....this time? On his side!!
I thumbed the pages, recalling the words, reading the highlighted parts, underlined parts....and as I glanced the pages over this stood out: Statistically only about 10% of our prayers are specific, faith-centered petitions, leaving the majority of our prayers far too general to bring a specific answer or an answer that is recognizable among our general blessings. When the child of God prays and his prayers are answered, three things have happened: he has prayed in faith believing, he has prayed specifically and has thereby met the conditions of a loving Heavenly Father, and the Father has responded.
Yes, God, those are my thoughts, my desires, a team of individuals who would be specific, prayed out in faith, believing. Unyielding. Not for my desires, our desires. But within the will of God. No need to ask Him that will. His Word tells us to go and share the gospel and His Word changeth not. God doesn't indicate that He answers according to how much we want something or desire it but "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matthew 9:29) . Not believing God 'can' but that God 'will.'
We do not need a team that would pray "if it be thy will" but rather crave intercessors that could understand His will and pray boldly for our team...not that we would have momentary satisfaction or glory to us but that we could accomplish more good and live more fully to His glory in accordance to His will. It is our desire that as we seek His face and hand in the weeks to come that a team could consistently and fervently pray that we would become right and become channels through which God can work. God needs those whom He can work through. And in this circumstance work in the lives and hearts of those in Costa Rica.
So, we put off making that list (wow, has this driven our leader crazy)...and mostly it has been my fault....as I struggled over finding a team of pray-ers. I desired the serious, specific pray-er. Who could I ask? How would I determine? Can't I just submit a list of everyone I knew??? Surely that would cover it all! What a serious charge. When you don't know what to do, ask God. He cares and He answers. So, there it was....His recommendations.....look, listen, seek that someone(s)...not with a huge amount of faith but someone(s) who know how to direct their faith. Who can appropriate the faith they already have. Who will remember to pray. Who will be diligent, focused, specific, burdened.
Througout the processing of being called into this mission and now in our preparation phase, we have had some individuals that have consistently called, emailed, asked, followed the journey. I could tell they were involved in this mission, heartfelt in their following, not because of a deep friendship or any other invested interest but because God caused their minds to be set in our (His) direction. Their follow-up questions and concerns indicated to me a specificity...could those be the specific pray-ers I desired? These people would think of aspects I had not. Ask questions, remember previous prayer requests. Sharing their resources; unsolicited. One friend shared with me just today (as funny as it may sound) that as she scrubbed her tub, she thought of the comforts we would forfeit on this trip. God bless her tender heart toward me and concerns I've never uttered. Yes, Lord, I remember these sweet touches you have sent me through the Body and I trust their commitment to pray with appropriated faith.
Back to the list...another email came through today with a plea from our mission leader: "We need your prayer teams. Some are missing, you know who you are." Ooops, guilty as charged. "Today," I tell my husband, "I'll submit it today!"
As much as I would truly love to list all those whom I love and those whom I think love me, we are limited in the numbers we could submit. So I ask for all your prayers and covet any I can get, known or unknown. Our specific and overall request is that we become right and that we become channels through which God can work as we share God's love in Costa Rica.
And in return I offer a prayer for you, dear reader...that you will seek to appropriate your faith in prayer. Praying with expectancy as you seek His will and pray within that will. May your prayers be sincere, consistent, and so specific that there is no doubt Who provided the answer!!! To Him be ALL the glory and honor. Amen!
To end in the words of that slight book: "If you cannot give, you can pray. If you cannot see, you can pray. If you cannot hear, you can pray. If you cannot sing, you can pray. If you cannot preach, you can pray. There are no circumstances in which you will ever find yourself, no condition into which God will lead you but that victory cannot be found through prayer." The Power of Positive Praying by John Bisagno
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