Travailing For Haiti: Combining Prayer With Compassion

What do you when prayer is not enough?

Yesterday at church we had our Haitian families come forward and lead us in prayer in the Creole language.  I wanted to to hear what the prayers and cries of mercy sounded like in Haiti.  I could only  understand some of the words only, however, I have never felt a prayer to this level before.  It was more than a prayer, it was a raw combination of intercession and compassion of the pain and suffering.

One of the words used for prayer in the Bible is "Travail." Travail can be defined as the intense application by prayer to the point of inward agony and pain in behalf of others.  What was moving was sensing the whole congregation move in travail together.  

Its interesting, one the most memorable prayers in my life, and I dont even know the words that were used.  Inward groans in the Spirit accomplish more that I could put together in my mind.  (Rom. 8:26) 

What do we do with pictures of vast amount of bodies piled everyone; reports of children in orphanages and hospital with no food.  These have haunted me all week.  Then last night CNN had a video of a woman in a room when the earthquake occurred- you see the shaking, followed by complete darkness, followed by frantic cries of adult and children trapped in the rubble and darkness.

What do you do when prayer is not enough?  Lets Travail for Haiti.  

Opportunity Wisdom

What if God doesn't just spoon-feed us with provision, but rather provides us with opportunities for us to make the most off? What if rather than waiting for God to provide us with "things we need;" we anticipated opportunities to make the most off?

Ephesians 5:15-16 "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

It appears that God advises to use wisdom in how we live by making the most of every opportunity. It pains me to ponder how much Divine provision have I missed in my life because I was passively waiting for God to provide, while Divine Opportunities passed by unnoticed and unappreciated.

I want to be careful not to be unprepared when the opportunities come. Wisdom teaches that opportunities will be sent by God, but I have to be ready when they appeared.

Dear Jesus, you are the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Open my eyes to your opportunity-provision. Help me to be wise, to be prepared ahead of time, so I may be ready to make the most of what you prepared for me. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

 

Fresh Goals For 2010

I love one of the words used for "new" in the New Testament. The Greek word kainos can be translated as "fresh." Jesus doesn't just us new, he makes us fresh (2 Corinthians 5:17) . This is meaningful because in our temporal lives we are not familiar with things staying new. Yet with God all things are made fresh.
This is just a new year or a new decade, it's a fresh year and a fresh decade. What will I do with this fresh start?
I will set some Fresh, Faith-Focused Goals. Goals are statements of faith; "with God's help – I am going to…." Goals pave a track from where I am to where I want to be.
Goals need to be God-Honoring and have the proper priorities. Jesus helps us prioritize our lives with the Great Commandment. "The most important one…Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' Mark 12:29-30
I want to fulfill this Scripture this year, so I set these Goals for 2010.
With God's help I aim to Love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength in this way:


1. Heart Goals (Emotional Goals)

        To be a husband who redeems his wife.

        To be a father who redeems his children.


2. Soul Goals (Spiritual Goals)
        To Read the Bible Chronologically in one year. (I bought a Chronological Study Bible that structures the Bible in chronological order)
        To Practice a life-style of prayer.

        To personally influence 6 people to a personal relationship with Jesus.

3.  Mind Goals (Intellectual Goals)

        To read 2 books every month.


4.  Strength Goals (Physical Goals)
        To Exercise at least 3 times a week for one hour.


Can you my fellow voyagers help me do this? Can you do it with me? I could use and help and companionship.


Thank you God, for a fresh year and decade.  Let your mercy be fresh every morning.  May I walk in freshness of life.