"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another. By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love toward one another."
(John 13:34-35)
Many times we've come across people who have asked us, "What brought you to southern Georgia?" Our response has usually been that the Lord has brought us here. We share our story with many many folks, but honestly, we didn't know what God had in store for us here where He has placed us. The reason for putting us right here has been fuzzy for a few months. We only know a couple of our neighbors, we attend church and other activities in Albany, so the question still was a bit perplexing, "Why did you bring us to this house, here in this little town so far from where we have appointments and activities?" So we prayed.
"If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall
give you another Comforter, so that He may be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth,
whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him.
But you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you. I will not leave
you orphans. I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world does not see
Me any more. But you see Me. Because I live, you shall live also. At that day
you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who
has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves
Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him."
(John 14:15-21)
The past couple of weeks at Sherwood Baptist Church, the topic has been "Next Level Praying" where the pastors preached about the importance of not only praying and how to pray, but why. I have always prayed for a variety of people, prayer lists, family members, leaders, and whoever else would come to my mind, but this was different. This was not only encompassing those people and things I'd already prayed for, but taking them to a whole new level of prayer.
Through all of the teaching on prayer, one of the things that has weighed heavier and heavier on my own heart and mind is not only the need for prayer, and not just surface prayer--but broken hearted prayer knealing at the throne of grace with a love unmatched by anything we've ever experienced type of prayer. I've experienced this type of prayer many times for the loved ones I hold dear, but the Lord has been teaching me that I need to be broken hearted and pray like this for my neighbors too.
"Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
(Matthew 22:37-40)
While many folks here where we live, I'm sure, are praying for our little town, I'm sure this little town could handle just one (if not 4 more--to include our family) people praying with a broken heart for the people here in our town.
That sounds so very simple, doesn't it? God brought us here to pray for this little town. Not just any prayer, but a special type of praying that will I'm sure, add ministry of some sort to it eventually.
How am I going about this? I'm glad you asked!
On Valentine's Day Sherwood launched a prayer initiative for it's members and all those who wish to participate. As I sat there listening, that still small voice told me that this is one small reason we were here. We need to pray for our neighbors by name, by address for their families, for their troubles, challenges and ailments, and for their salvation. The website pray4everyhome.com is where I can keep track of who I pray for and where they live. Yes, it is a bit stalker-ish, but the information is available from the last census, so it is public record and not illegal. Besides, I have a hard time remembering names 5 minutes after being introduced to someone, so this is perfect! God knows their names. I don't need to remember them. I just need to pray for them!
"You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your
enemy." But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do
good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and
persecute you, so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven.
For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the
just and on the unjust."
(Matthew 5:43-45)
There are unexpected blessing through all of this experience. I have personally experienced a greater burden for my neighbors and their eternal home. I cannot explain it better than that. I've also experienced greater peace, greater purpose, greater vision for my days. I have less to do with schooling now that I have one graduated and one more graduating this May. She is more independent and I have only to check her work every so often and be available if she has a question. My youngest I finish up with him in about 15-20 minutes, discuss things with him, correct his papers, and move on. With all this free time on my hands, instead of going back to school, I've been praying about which direction to go with my time. I get a gentle push for other areas where I can volunteer too, so I'm praying about that. I'm praying and using Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 as my guide. I'm just trying to push myself aside to be open to the guiding of the Holy Spirit.
How are you loving your neighbors?
God Bless,
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