DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Kingdom-Focused Prayers
by Pr. Dave Mann
I am amazed at verses 27-30 of Acts 11: “During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.”
Why should I be amazed at these verses? Isn’t this simply a church taking up a “love offering” for a special mission effort? Yes, in some ways, it is similar to a love offering but look at the context.
The early believers had many difficulties – persecution, confiscation of property, even death, particularly following the stoning of Stephan. They had to flee for their lives as the persecution intensified. They had to make a new life in strange cities. Then, Agabus, a prophet from Jerusalem, came to Antioch in Syria where many believers migrated. He prophesied that there would be a famine in the entire Roman empire.
Many of us would have been complaining. I know I would have been so tempted. So many things are wrong with the world today. So, if we had lived in Jerusalem in the years immediately following the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, it would have been very challenging. Our prayers, no doubt, would have been laced with bitterness and grief: “Lord, where are you? People who believe in you are being badly treated. Come quickly and fix these problems!” These are self-centered prayers.
However, the prayers of the early believers who had fled to Antioch were probably more like this: “Lord, thank you for saving us and assuring us of eternal life with you. What would you have us do out of gratitude for all your grace?” Despite their difficulties, they prayed prayers of thanksgiving and self-sacrifice. These are kingdom-focused prayers. After praying, those believers felt led to give voluntarily out of their meager means. Regardless of their own problems, they generously sent money to their fellow believers in Judea.
What self-centered prayers do you and I pray? Which ones are kingdom-focused?
God wants to answer our prayers. But first, he wants us to listen to the Holy Spirit so that we might pray the prayers he wants to answer!
PRAYER
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your gifts of grace in our lives -- gifts of faith and salvation, as well as gifts of problems and difficulties that help transform me into the image of Christ. Help me to learn how to pray the Holy Spirit-inspired prayers that you long to answer, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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