Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Ephesians 6:3, ” That it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. “

Background

Do you pray for sick or dying people to be healed? My guess is that you do. My guess is that you also have realized that praying for saved people to be healed is actually asking God to delay their entry into heaven. Something was said recently concerning this oddity, and the tone was such that it implied a need for a shift in our prayer focus, for the follow-up to it related to how much we should pray for the lost to be saved. Without question we should be praying diligently for the lost, and specifically the lost that we know personally, to surrender their lives to Jesus. There is no excuse or defense for not praying for their salvation. But I don’t hear anyone suggesting that we also ask that the new believer immediately die and go to be with the Lord. No one is praying for their healthy family members to suddenly be taken from them to begin their walk with Jesus in heaven. No, our nature and our instinct is to stay alive, to survive as long as possible. And even if it is selfishly done, we earnestly pray for ourselves and others to remain or get healthy, so that we may enjoy more time together on earth. And the funny thing is, that is exactly what God also wants for us.

Application

When He gave the ten commandments, He admonished children to honor their parents, that is may be well with them and that their lives may be long on earth. It was not only the first commandment with a promise, it was the only commandment with a promise. He designed it so that the children, which we all are of His, who live according to His plan will be blessed with long lives on earth. So my praying for that to happen doesn’t seem to contradict God’s perfect plan at all. In fact, it helps me understand better that God is eternal and infinite. Besides always existing and lasting forever, He is beyond time. It does not exist for Him. So He is not bound like we are in the trappings of now versus later. We are prone to think that another day on earth means less time in heaven. Not so. And for us, that means we can pray for healing and we can pray for salvation. God is able, and willing, to do both.

Charge

As we seek Him today, pray for the sick and the lost. Pray for a miracle as well as the mundane. Pray what is on your heart, and ask God to burden you with what is on His heart.