Prayer for the Nation

Reading in Isaiah 58 this morning certainly gives me regained perspective about who and what the Lord calls us as His Nation to be. Especially living in America where all that we have and all that we strive for as a culture is totally luxurious, it's no wonder why we don't pray for what God wants. We only pray for what we want. Granted, there are many true heart-felt prayer lifted up to Heaven for God's will to be done. I know that. But the majority of us have been taught to pray when we have need...or what we think is need anyway. If our car breaks down, we pray God will provide a new one. Do we even look at our neighbor who doesn't have enough wages to feed their children a decent meal. Why don't we sacrifice just one evening and cook them a wholesome dinner? Does it even cross our minds? For me, I know it doesn't always, but I'm grateful for the times when Christ reminds me that I already have everything that I need, that my "material problems" are not what I should be focusing on. I praise the Lord when He reminds me that there are people who need more than what I whine for. They need salvation. They need true love, Jesus' love. And if I have that, that's all I need and I should be joyfully letting it overflow into other's lives.

I know we are not perfect. But that is no excuse for our lackadaisical hearts. We should be honored to carry the cross of Christ, He was honored, highly esteemed and most glorified when He did it for us. We shouldn't be lazy Christians with the concept in the back of our minds that God did all the work for us, what else is there to do. No, as I heard recently a man say, "We have to highest calling as followers of Christ." Let's be productive for Him. Let's seek our what He has in His will to accomplish. The Lord already has a plan, we just need to jump in behind Him, beside Him and let Him do it through us. It is possible, you have to know it is. We see it everyday if our hearts and minds are open to it.

Let us be a "nation" (meaning a people of God) of restoring broken lives and restoring broken homes.