Are you ever burdened? I mean the kind of burden where you just can't seem to make it through the day without an entire box of tissues? That weight on your shoulders pressing down and down and down 'til you're on your knees?
On my knees. Right where He wants me.
That's me. Burdened and on my knees. What about? Oh, anything the Holy Spirit hits me with at that moment. For instance, my honey and I were having an at-home date so I ran to Pei Wei for some Pei Wei Spicy. As I'm waiting on my to-go order, the Holy Spirit calls on my heart. The amazing part? I was actually listening. I listened as He asked me how many people in the restaurant knew Him. How many of the customers, cooks, busboys, cashiers, dishwashers, and lemon-choppers knew about His saving grace and love. Which of those lives were His?
It is the first time in my life that I can say that I actually ached for people. I ached for their eternal destinations, for their lack of hope, and for their lost hearts. Tears not only streamed, but flowed down my face as I began to pray for strangers happily attempting honey-seared chicken with chop sticks. I sobbed. Really sobbed. The cashier handed me a napkin for the snot-rocket I wasn't even aware existed on my face.
This sort of calling on my heart occurred a day later at the dentist. With four hands in my mouth, tears rolled down my cheeks while praying for the obvious non-believers in the office. It was a desire to pray that could not be ignored or put off for later for my "quiet time".
"Was I in pain from the crown?" they asked. "Oh no. I am praying for you," I answered.
Here's the thing. God doesn't especially call on me to pray for randomly, but not so randomly, placed strangers. He calls on all of us. To stand in the gap for others. To put aside our own junk and complaints and requests and really bend our knee for the benefit of someone else. He desires that each of us put our neighbor before ourselves for His glory.
And to be honest, He wanted me on my knees. He wanted my attention and my response. He had a desire to weigh so heavily on my heart and mind that I could not deny Him.
And that's for all of us. We only have to be willing to hear His whisper and to respond. We have to be willing to pray now rather than later. We might also need to be willing to weep over Pei Wei Spicy, or in the dentist chair, or at a child's ball game.
Have you ever felt the burdening of the Holy Spirit to pray? How did you respond? Will you share with the women of FBC how the Lord is using you to glorify Him.
Signed,
Praying at Pei Wei,
Niki
