Extended Prayer Coverage

Yum.

Thai Swordfish over Coconut Rice
Has nothing to do with anything, but it was delicious!  :-)

August 26

Not sure if I posted a quote from a Philippa Gregory novel yet, where Queen Kateryn shares her sin of "failure of obedience."  Well, I've come to realize I was guilty of a similar sin Tuesday.

Leaving our local Kroger around 2:15 Tuesday afternoon, I had a strange sense as I approached the back of my car to unload my groceries that I was going to be robbed. This has NEVER happened to me here in good ole Moneta. Checking the parking lot surroundings, there appeared to only be my fellow senior citizens taking advantage of their Tuesday 5% off shopping extravaganza!  The scene from the movie "War Room" immediately came to mind where Miss Clara is being held at knife point in a parking garage and she tells the robber, "In the MIGHTY name of Jesus drop that knife!"  It freaks the guy out so badly that he runs!  The police and the main character, Elizabeth, are shocked over how calm Clara is, but she simply states she trusts God to protect her.  I felt the very same way and was ready to call on the name of Jesus.  Loading up my groceries, I did lock my door right after I closed it, but then went on my way with nary a concern.

When my husband arrived home from work around 6:00 we were curious to see a helicopter flying quite low over our house.  What we didn't know is that the bank which adjoins the Kroger parking lot was robbed around 4:30 that afternoon! The man fled on foot and the police were looking for him.

So, you might wonder, where was my disobedience.  I believe with all my heart that my spirit was alerted to the evil in the area and I should have been praying a broader prayer that went beyond my own circumstances.  Once again I'm reminded it's not always about me personally. My prayer focus should have been for anyone in danger.

You know how we are often awakened in the middle of the night.  My first prayer used to be "Lord, let me go back to sleep."  Now the focus is more on asking the Lord if he wants to speak to me in the quiet of the night.  The other concentration should be on whether or not I am to be praying for someone in danger at that moment.

"For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same

function, so we, who are many, are one in body in Christ, and individual members one of another."

Romans 12:4-5  

So let's keep our hearts cleaned up, seeking forgiveness of our sins, and be willing to pray for one another.

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much,"

James 5:16

Thankfully, no one was injured during the robbery. The robber is still on the loose, so let's all pray for  him to turn himself in or for the sheriff's department to apprehend him quickly.