Elections are coming very soon. One of the abiding issues on the table is the war and its effects on the country and people of Iraq and on our troops and our country.

The ironic thing about it is that the cares and concerns, even the priorities and pursuits, which shape my daily routine (and I think, the routine of many of the people throughout the US) resemble more and more the mentality of a time of peace and prosperity rather than a mindset in the midst of war. In fact, I think that unless you have a family member or a close connection with someone in the war, the prospects of the election have roused more people to attention than the actual war has.

I do not wish to overstate my point. And the point that I make is this: There is an uncanny parallel between our nation’s mentality about war and the mentality of missions held by numerous Christians today. Unless we know someone who is a missionary or have been to the frontlines ourselves (though some of the short-term trips could hardly be called such), we are almost completely oblivious to the work of our brothers and sisters in places all over the world to spread the news of the gospel against the wishes of those who are presently enemies of Christ.

Knowing that I speak as one who himself does not often think from a wartime perspective, I still want to persuade us to think about and evaluate the kinds of cares, concerns, priorities and pursuits we have now and how they would be affected by a more constant awareness of the continuous battle that rages for the gospel all over the world.

I suggest as a first step shifting our focus in prayer. Now, I speak as one who struggles greatly to do anything consistently, let alone pray, so do not consider brushing off the proposal. Therefore, it is my prayer that we as believers would grow not only into greater conformity with our Savior Jesus Christ, who alone is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, but also to grow in our desire to see the work of reconciliation and rescue, to which Christ has called us, be furthered all over the world by lifting up in intercession the cares, concerns, priorities, and pursuits of our Triune God and his ambassadors, as they battle what is not of flesh and blood to proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

To this end, we hope, as the missions team, to begin putting in front of you all lists of prayers and requests from those we know who are serving as missionaries to better enable us to pray for the work and unassailable plans of our Almighty God.

In the meantime, pray:

that God would be glorified among the nations,

that it would proceed through the faithful proclamation of the gospel,

and that the proclamation would go forth in power that stems from the earnest prayers of his children!

Inspiration and some thoughts taken from Let The Nations Be Glad and its chapter on prayer and missions.

~Nick for the Missions Team