Following "The Daily Office" prayers and scripture readings this morning, I prayed the "For Peace Among Nations" prayer (see below) Soon after I prayed this prayer, I received a mobile phone text alert from CNN which included this message:"President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a major nuclear arms control agreement that reduces the nuclear stockpiles of both nations."
Now, I know that prayer often doesn't work this way where the results of the prayer come instantaneously, and who knows how many hours of difficult deliberations preceded this breaking news announcement, but still...that was pretty quick, God!
I'm reminded of something that Ton Compolo, Christian speaker and author said soon after the Berlin Wall came down in the early 90's. He wondered how many churches who had often included congregational prayers for world peace in their Sunday worship bulletins, realized that their prayers actually made a difference when the news of the wall came down. Sometimes we pray, pray, and pray, and when God acts upon our prayers, we don't even make the connection between our prayers and how God is indeed working in the world offering peace and justice.
Here's the prayer I prayed from "The Daily Office" just before the text alert:
For Peace Among Nations
Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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On a mission trip in the Smokey Mountains one of the youth needed to go to the bathroom but we had been driving for several miles with no place available and no discreet place to pull off. We told the youth to keep praying that there would be a rest station over the next turn and she did. Over the next turn there was a lovely observation deck with restrooms and a gift shop and ample parking built around sixty years prior.
Now, since God created the space time continuum for us to live in, it stands to reason that our prayers were indeed answered by God in the form of putting the idea in the head of the architect all those many years ago.
Likewise, your text message was an "okay" from God.
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