Patterns of Prayer - Week 5

What a week!! We had the privilege of traveling to California for a wedding. Being the photographer, I got to see the beauty of a bride and the joy of a groom as he delights in her. It was a great reminder of Jesus' love for His Bride and what the church can be at her best!!

So far in our Lenten journey, we've looked internally, then locally; last week we focused nationally and now our focus will turn global. What are our patterns of thinking toward the rest of the world? Do we regularly pray for other parts of the world? Do we, as the family of God, pray for other believers elsewhere in the world? What do we think our obligation is toward them (the global church) and the rest of humanity?


Lots of questions, but ones I believe we must grapple with (especially now that the "World is Flat"...) And even at a time of an unstable economy here in our country, we still have so much compared to most of the rest of the world.

Praying Lent:
God, what is your heart for all the nations? How do we align our patterns of thinking and prayer with Your heart? How do you want us to live differently or what do you want us to do in regard to Your world? Would you pray these questions this week? Would you pray for people and organizations who are doing good things (God things!) in the rest of the world? Would you pray for peace and justice in places where they seem to live on the edge of turbulence?

Living Lent:
Easy: Perhaps we could put a globe on our kitchen tables. Each time we go to eat, let's pray for somewhere in the world. Pray that the Kingdom of God might be spread across those places.
Harder: Perhaps there is something you do daily (buy a newspaper, buy a Starbuck's coffee...). This week, consider not participating in that activity and take whatever money you would have spent on it and give it to an international relief organization. (Sure it may not be much, but if every person who reads this blog did it...well, who knows...)

God, I believe you created this world
And as such, You love it.
Give me Your heart for the global community I live in
Show me the part you want me to play in Your redemption of it.