21 Days of Prayer. Day one ~ Lord give us the "Courage to Pray".
A young man enlisted in the military and on day one, he was assigned to his regiment. Later, he found himself in the barracks with about 15 other guys who played cards and gambled to pass the time. At bedtime he keeled beside his bunk and prayed. The guys immediately began to curse, frown and throw boots at him. This kept happening for a few nights so he asked the Chaplain for advice. The Chaplain told him he was not at home and the other soldiers had as much right to the barracks as he did. Since hearing him pray angered them, the Lord could hear him just as well if he prayed in bed and not provoked them. After that, the Chaplain didn't see the young man for several weeks until he bumped into him. He asked if he took his advice. The young man said he tried it for two or three days, but he felt like a whipped hound. So on the third day, he got up, knelt down and prayed. The Chaplain asked him how did that worked out. The young man said, "We have a prayer meeting there now every night, and three have been converted, and we are praying for the rest."
It's back to school season, the time when parents, teachers, students and the rest of society are hurried, anxious and bracing to handle the second half the year! The stakes are high, competition is steep and challenges are many. Like the young soldier, you have a choice! You can cave in to the pressures of the season, letting yourself be whipped into submission or you can cry out, "Lord give me the courage to Pray!" When you do, just as Jesus did in Luke 2:52, you will grow in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and with men. Be bold, be courageous, get up, kneel and pray.
Lord, we pray for parents, students, teachers, businesses, administrators and people all around us. Let Your light in us shine brightly in the midst of this fast-paced and stressful season. We pray for Your presence to bring wisdom, peace and balance. Keep us safe, provide for those in need and give us strength to be the difference that our society needs.
Inspiring Hope and Seasoning Faith, Pastor Sean