World Day of Prayer

The first Friday of March -- which happens to be today -- is the World Day of Prayer. Because of this, I thought a repost might be in order. I originally posted the following just a few months ago, in October '12. But it fits well for today, and is, I believe, a good reminder for all of us.

Have You Prayed for Christians in Zimbabwe Today?

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Eph 6:17)

Prayer is a funny thing. We are often taught, as we grow up, to pray. We pray for our food. For our night's rest. We pray, at those times, for our families: our brothers and sisters,  grandparents,  aunts and uncles,  cousins and friends. But strangers? 

All over the world, new believers and old saints face daily struggles. Sometimes, those struggles are of the kind you and I face every day: temptation, frustration, doubt. And sometimes, these Brothers and Sisters in Christ are struggling for their very lives. For daily bread. For safety. 

Ephesians 6:10-20 reminds us that we are engaged in constant spiritual warfare. This battle doesn't happen in a bubble. It doesn't happen at your church alone, or end at the borders of our community. It is a war that encompasses the entire world. And it is one being fought on fronts from your back yard to the farthest reaches of the globe, by men and women just like you and I. And in this section of Ephesians, Paul reminds us of this fact, and reminds us that we fight, not for ourselves, but for each other. "Always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."

How often, in my prayers, do I remember to pray for my family? My friends? My church? What about believers throughout the world, and the ministry they have?

When Jesus prayed in the Garden, we remember he prayed for His disciples. But, He said:

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,  that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—  I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17: 20-23)

Shouldn't we follow His example,  and be sure we, too,  are praying for our Brothers and Sisters around the world?