When It Hurts To Pray

     Luke records of our Lord:  "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God" (6.12).  What?  So much time in prayer?  Would not Jesus have bettered the Kingdom by keeping Himself close to the downtrodden, the sick, the afflicted, the lost sheep?  Not on your life.  Messiah's focus was to definitively choose His closest crew:  "And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles" (6.13).

Prayer became the heavenly venue through which the Apostolic ministry flowed.  Imagine the burdened Lord as He rehearsed each name discerned through prayer beginning with Simon, also named Peter but painfully ending with Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

Joe Donahue records the tragic circumstances of a young couple who this very hour needs our prayer.  I suggest we lay down, at least for the weekend, our theological revolvers and political derringers and focus on a bit of prayer for this family.  Be warned, however:  If you haven't hurt in a while, as did our Lord when He contemplated Judas, you most certainly will as you read their heart breaking story.

With that, I am...
Peter