This is the second post in a 2-part series. Read part 1.
“‘Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver?'” –The Lord, Isaiah 50:2a-d
As I examine myself and the state of the Church, we should have been desperately crying out to God long ago, united as a people of Christ in asking for His “Kingdom come” and His “will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-15).
Now is the time to pray, not to look the other way. Now is the time to cry out on behalf of the many who desperately need to know they need Jesus. Now is the time to fall to our knees and cry out for God to do a miraculous work in drawing men, women, and children to Himself, to send laborers…to send us… into His fields. Yes, the fields are white and ripe for harvest. Are we paying attention? Are we seeing? Or are we being so blinded or intimidated by the works of the devil that we fail to fix our eyes on Jesus and see the opportunity and undefeatable power of the cross of Christ?
FALL ON YOUR KNEES
“‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened… If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!'” –Jesus, Matthew 7:7-11
“…’Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night; and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?'” –Jesus, Luke 18:6-8
Church, may we not lose heart or grow weary in asking for the Lord God to intervene and complete the transformation in our hearts and in our world that only He can do. There simply is no other way to change our world but through Jesus.
May we not hesitate to assume our place on our knees before our Creator God, and cry out for His gracious, merciful Hand to save us all from our sin. May we shake off our doubts, our cynicism, our apathy, and our unbelief and desperately give voice day and night before our God, the righteous Judge, Who will answer the consistent, faith-filled prayers of His people.
In Psalm 85, there’s a beautiful prayer that seems so fitting for the time in which we live. The Psalmist writes,
O Lord, You showed favor to Your land; You restored the captivity of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin. Selah. You withdrew all Your fury; You turned away from Your burning anger.
Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your indignation toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not Yourself revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your lovingkindness, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation.
I will hear what God the Lord will say, for He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. Indeed, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its produce. Righteousness will go before Him and will make His footsteps into a way.
There are so many perishing today without Jesus! Will we deny ourselves and cry out to God on behalf of the world, or will we continue to stay silent, turn away, and stay caught up in our own storylines? Will we declare the Good News of salvation through our words and through the Spirit’s work in our lives, or will we stay stuck in our powerless, cultural “Christianity” that doesn’t look much different than those outside of the Church? Will we stay comfortable in our own sense of “rightness,” or will we remain discontent until this entire world has heard the saving, transforming message of Jesus Christ?
O members of the beautiful Body of Christ, let’s cry out together to God on behalf of our world! As God’s Word says, He hears the cry of the righteous and responds, so let us not neglect our work as the Church to pray on behalf of those who need Jesus to intervene in their lives and draw them into restored relationship with Himself. Now is the time to wake up, O sleeper. May we act in faith and…
Stop.
Examine ourselves first.
Confess.
Repent.
Pray fervently, putting away our limiting “if You can” unbelief.
Listen, waiting for His Spirit.
Obey.
And proclaim Him.
Now, go.
Sheree Black 