Earlier this week, I went for the first time in this area, to a woman- to woman prayer meeting. New woman, with the same desire and focus. Sharing two or three stories from persecuted woman, all very well prepared. We pray and we sing, send a card and go home.
I LOVE this kind of meetings. I feel so enormously rich that I can see myself as a sister off all the brave woman around the world.
This night we prayed for a woman in Vietnam, a farming woman in the middle of nowhere. I have never seen her, and I likely will never see her. (okay, one day I will….) But there is something very profound that we share. We belong to the Body of Christ.
We heard some explanation why she needs prayer and she told us that she loves ps. 17.
Here it is:
A prayer of David,
For someone who is in hardship and who asks for righteousness.
1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer– it does not rise from deceitful lips.
2 May my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right.
3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.
4 As for the deeds of men– by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.
10 They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a great lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down; rescue me from the wicked by your sword.
14 O LORD, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life. You still the hunger of those you cherish; their sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.
15 And I–in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
It is amazing that people from all around the world can get comforted by the same old words. There is no need for us to feel lonely. Because we aren’t when we love Jesus.
We may feel lonely though,
But we are a chosen people, a holy nation, people belonging to God, with brothers and sisters from all over the planet.
If you long to be-long, I hope that you can find a prayergroup or just someone to pray with in your area. In my experience praying together with others helps me enormously to experience that I belong to the Body of Christ.