Prayer for Wednesday, June 1

Scripture Passage for Daily Reflection

Acts 9:1-22 (New International Version)

 ¹ Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

 ⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

   “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

 ⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

 ¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

   “Yes, Lord,” he answered.

 ¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

 ¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

 ¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

 ¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

    Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ²² Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

Wednesday - Commissioned for the Global Community

Missionary God, you are worthy of all praise because you are not a regional god...you are the creator and sustainer of all people, all places and all times. As we seek to follow you into our neighborhood we pray that you will also keep us mindful of the vastness of your kingdom and the love and compassion you have for people everywhere. We pray that you will protect us from the narrow-mindedness of nationalism, tribalism and other self-serving mentalities. Missionary God, we pray that you will guide our small community into not only awareness of the struggles of those far off, but also to ways we can respond to your call regarding those places. We pray that Intentional People will have opportunities to partner with disciples and communities strategically placed by you to serve as your ambassadors to people across the globe.

We are contextual beings. We live in a particular place at a particular time in history. This is universal and inescapable. That means that, and listen carefully here, we cannot be everywhere at once. Therefore it stands to reason that we must take seriously the need for networks of local communities, each working with God in their particular location. Short term trips and other experiences can be ways for us to serve people all over, but for the long-term presence of Christian community to be felt, we must acknowledge that God’s mission is bigger than us and our church. What can you do, today, to be more intentional about connecting with, supporting, or encouraging someone who is living on mission with God “over there” somewhere?