Risky Gamble

So I was asked to be one of the prayer team yesterday morning.  And I thought to myself, "Cool, because I see a couple whom are in need of much prayer and they are sitting right up front, right where I will be standing when the call is made....."

So, they are happy to see me and I indicate they need to come up and pray with me.  Suddenly, she will no longer look at me and bursts into tears.  Her husband, already with a sick calf appearance (as well he should!), wants to but knows it ain't going to happen.  They rush off and out the door. Yeah, their marriage is on the rocks.  They need prayer, they need healing, but pride and anger from the misses - with a bit of Latino bravado on his part,  is hindering that from occurring.  She knows better, he is just hurting and wanting to do the right thing but can not convince her he can change.  Be in prayer for the Sanchezs, they are very young and without Godly direction are headed straight for divorce court.  Of course, their son is the one whom will really suffer.....  Lord how I hate divorce!

By the very end of the prayer time, I had many come for various reasons, which was very odd, then a young woman came forward.  I remember her from last summer's VBS, enough to know her name and wonder why she never came to Sunday School.  And her prayer is God's direction in her life.  Awesome!  She wants to go work at a youth camp over the summer, but her father is against this and her mother is no longer talking to her.  First thought, ah, they want her in college and they see she wants to play.  Not so untypical youth conflict.....

The more we talked, the angrier I became.  Honestly, I just wanted to lay her out on my knee and give all the life counsel she has coming.  Yeah, it was that bad.  So, I am chocking back my utter shock at the story she is telling me, trying to force a God perspective on myself, when what she really needs a brick upside the head!

So, not 16, as I might have thought - try 30!  Has fought her parents over getting an education since she was a teenager!  Refuses, no - is insulted by her father's counsel, that work and an education are important.  In conflict with her mother and other siblings over her lifestyle to the point that there is no longer any meaningful conversation.  And now wants to go be a missionary because she knows that "god" has created her to be one!  I made god to be little letters because her god is egotism, sloth and rebellion.  Yeah, quite the conversation.

I see only sin as being in control of her life.  Yeah, so many in today's 20-something culture have no clue as to how God really feels over this woman's behavior.  It is sin and rebellion carried the death sentence in Israel.  Yeah.  So my prayer for this woman?  God needs to give her a wake call!  Life is out there and waiting for her but there is no service to God based on sin.....  And if she wants to be of service to the God I know, she needs to humble herself to her father, seek forgiveness of her mother and siblings, then address where she is in life - you know, an education and a real job!  Then maybe God will have something to work with in her - if missions really is on His mind.....

Yeah, a risky gamble that no one will read this from the church, then again maybe it would be good for her to understand that there is much about life not being told her because she is not listening to anyone except herself.  The Pride of Life is a terrible sin to fall into because we are so utterly blinded by ourselves to be able see it!

And since you are hopefully already marking down to pray for the young couple and this mis-led woman, continue in prayer for New Daughter, as we continue to work towards the beginning of the healing process for her, you might even want to keep me in those prayers too.  The miracles I have seen across the past 90 days are incredible, as has been the resistance and the opposition's work against her healing.  Honestly, today could be the day healing begins - she is so close, but can she accept this remains the question.