“…I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for AMY…For this is good and acceptable in the sight of GOD our Savior, WHO DESIRES AMY TO BE SAVED and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4) We are instructed to pray for our unsaved loved ones. Sometimes it’s just hard to know how or what to pray. It’s very hard to see someone we love so lost or far from God or even questioning God. We want so much to help them, to fix them but we certainly know that it’s not within our control. As you know, to receive Christ and to have a life-changing relationship with God is a personal and individual decision that we can never make for someone else, no matter how badly we want it for them. We can “plant seeds” (i.e. talk to them in a non-threatening and non-pushy way and/or show example in our own life), and we can pray for them. The rest is up to them. God gave us free will. Jesus Christ is His free gift to us, ours for the taking. However, a gift demanded or forced is no gift at all. We don’t have to take it. Sometimes we want something more for someone than they want it for themselves. It kind of stinks to feel this way, but guess what…You’re in good company. That’s how God feels all the time. All is not hopeless though! Prayers are extremely powerful!
“…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16b)
-Bill Stockham