EDITOR'S NOTE: This first-person is part of a series of first-persons
Baptist Press will publish in anticipation of the 40/40 Prayer Vigil
for Spiritual Revival and National Renewal. The 40/40 Prayer Vigil is an
initiative of the North American Mission Board and Ethics and Religious
Liberty Commission to encourage Southern Baptists and other
evangelicals to pray for 40 days from Sept. 26 to Nov. 4. To learn more,
visit www.4040prayer.com.
DALLAS
(BP) -- "Prayer invites God into the equation." So states Mark
Batterson in his book, "The Circle Maker." As we pray during this 40/40
Prayer Vigil, we are factoring God into the equation by praying for a
fresh move of His Spirit among our families, our communities and our
churches. We are not asking God for a revival of morality or virtue or
even common sense. We desperately need His direct intervention in the
spiritual condition of our land. Our nation is in crisis, and as
followers of Christ, we are called to be vigilant in prayer for it
(Colossians 4:2).
God instituted the family before He did the
church or the nation -- it is the basic unit of society. As families go,
so goes a nation. In light of that truth, it is no wonder that
Christians are alarmed. If we look at the statistics, we see that
divorce, substance abuse, the glorification of sexual promiscuity and
all other societal ills have had a devastating effect on the American
family -- Christian or not. While we pray for the upcoming national
election specifically, we must remember that godly leaders are usually
those who come from devout families, nurtured by parents who honor the
Lord and intentionally train their children to pursue God's will for
their lives.
I recently reviewed a study I did a few years ago
on women in church history, from the first century to the 21st century. I
was struck at how most of these women by far did not come to Christ as
adults, but rather as children. From medieval mystics such as Catherine
of Sienna and Joan of Arc to pastors' wives Katie Luther and Susanna
Wesley, to missionaries and social workers such as Amanda Smith, Ann
Judson, Amy Carmichael, Catherine Booth, Lottie Moon and Bertha Smith,
they were nurtured in the faith at an early age.
Through the
teaching and guidance of their parents they developed a social
conscience and a determined desire to serve God unconditionally. This is
the pattern we see in Scripture, parents integrating biblical
principles and truths into their daily lives and family relationships
(Deuteronomy 11:19).
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