Today was one of those days when I received a little flurry of texts asking me to pray, and to pass the prayer request on to others that I know will pray. These ranged from someone who was ill and facing a busy day ahead, asking for grace to get through the day ahead, through to an urgent request I had a request for prayer for a grandchild who had been admitted to hospital, and another praying for an aged parent recovering from a serious operation.
These on top of the things I had already committed to pray about; a grandson serving in Helmand province, a family whose home life was regularly disrupted by the anti-social behaviour of their neighbours...etc..etc.
Now don't get me wrong I love praying. I think it's God's greatest gift (Second only to worshipping Him on my drums!). I think it's a fantastic privilege being able to chat to Father about things, and I love the way He answers I could fill page after page with the answers to prayers that I have seen. (One day I will compile a list, the only problem being the length of that list!) But much as I love to pray, I only have the standard issue of 24, 60 minute hours in each day, in which to pray, so I have to prioritise things. So you'll perhaps understand and appreciate my frustration today. It began with a text from a friend with an urgent prayer request, that he in turn was forwarding from a friend. The request was asking for prayer as 22 Christian missionary families were due to be executed by Islamists in Afghanistan today.
My first response was to pray and pass the message on, but something about the message didn't ring true. (I know enough about the Church in Afghanistan to query the message quoting 22 missionary families, added to which none of the other sites that flag up areas of persecution was carrying the story) A quick check on Google confirmed my fears, the text message was a hoax.
I was hopping mad, I had wasted my time and unwittingly almost added fuel to the fire of hatred between Christians and Moslems. Now there is much to pray about with regard to the situation in Afghanistan, and the Churches relationship with Islam in Afghanistan, (People we are told to love and win for Christ, by our grace and the loving way we present them with the truth), without clowns stirring up hatred, and being used to do the Enemy's work in distracting the Church from praying for peace, healing and salvation for those around us.
I'm not mad at those who passed the message on - they were simply responding to an apparent emergency - but boy am I mad at the buffoon who thought the idea up. So I'll be praying for you whoever you are - plainly you need it - but only after I have prayed for peace in Afghanistan, and between Christians, and Moslems wherever they are. - Anyone care to join me?
2 comments:
I'll certainly join you in that prayer. Dave bailey
This annoyed me so much when I found out. I feel so sorry for any Muslims who got this forwaded to them. And in turn for whoever felt the need to create it in the first place.
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