“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:12
When I think about all of the evil in the world, I feel overwhelmed and can even feel physically ill because of it. I feel compelled to pray about it, and so I do-many times during the day and night.
For a long time, I asked God to bring His warring angels to strongly deal with these evil people who were brutally hurting the innocent. I wanted justice, and so I asked God to punish these evildoers. I felt this was the right thing to pray and ask God to do.
Then I heard something that made me stop and think that maybe I needed to pray another prayer: I needed to pray for those doing evil to be saved!
Picture the worst, most evil person you have ever known or heard of: people who hurt women and children, murderers, people who torture and kill the innocent, people who persecute others because of their faith. These, to me, deserve the full, most intense wrath of God.
But you know what? Jesus wants even those people to come to Him; He wants all people to be saved (2 Peter 3:9).
Jesus is a humble and lowly servant, who looks carefully into the hearts of even the most wicked, depraved people. He searches carefully through their hearts to find a place for them to come to Him. He is always looking to save them.
He is holding a servant’s towel and wants to wash us with His compassion and forgiveness and grace. Jesus came to wash the feet of all. He even washed the feet of Judas, the one who betrayed Him, and He even drew me near and saved me too, a lost and broken woman who was living a life of sin. You see, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and we all desperately need Jesus.
What an amazing Savior! He came to seek and save the lost-every single one of them. I am so grateful He saved me too.
Pray with me…
Lord, find a place in the hearts of those doing evil to come to You. Draw their hearts to you by Your Holy Spirit and Your great love. Cause them to repent and stop doing evil. May you bring your justice to them but also Your GREAT mercy and salvation.
Protect the ones who are vulnerable and keep all evil from them. Send your angels to surround them and protect them. Get them out of evil situations. Rescue them by the power of Your Name. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.
“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” 2 Peter 3:9
I remember going into my daughter's room night after night and kneeling beside her bed and crying my heart out to God because I didn’t know how to be a Christian mom; I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. You know what? God is so faithful! He answered me and simply said, “Spend time with me, Deb.” And so I did. I began arising 15-30 minutes earlier each day so I could read my Bible and pray, and plan out my day with my family.
If there was one thing I would love to share with you is that God is personal and loves you as you are. You don’t have to be perfect to be loved by our amazing God! Come as you are! His loving presence can be practically known and experienced. He is not a God who is far away, He is near and easily found. He longs for you to come to Him!
Randy and I have been married for 33 years and we have two grown children, Christie, and Jack, and one answer to prayer son-in-law named Alex. And now I get to be a Gigi to my sweet little grandbabies, Aspen and Skylar, and Piper. Yay!
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