Sunday, August 10, 2008

Olympic Prayer


If your house is like ours, the Olympics will be on television frequently over the next few weeks. I've been critical on this blog about China and its human rights record and the way Christians especially are treated. However, I view the Olympics at this point as an opportunity. I am disappointed that China continues to clamp down on its people and expression, as evidenced by various news stories in the last couple of weeks, but I don't expect a tiger to change its stripes without divine intervention.

That is the opportunity presented to all of us enjoying the Olympics. I think Christians can take this chance to really pray and intercede for China and the other nations mentioned during the Olympics. I am very globally minded, but I understand that people in general aren't thinking about various countries around the world. Use the Olympics as inspiration to pray for countries as you see events happen. A swimmer from Zimbabwe? A Brazilian beach volleyball player? A Sudanese track star? If the Holy Spirit stirs your heart, take time to pray for these nations. A great resource is Operation World, which has a nation a day for prayer. Of course it has very good information on China. We can especially pray for China while it is highlighted over the next weeks. If Beijing wanted to showcase itself and the country to the world, let's pray that the Light of the world will illuminate the nation and touch the needy souls.

If you want to find a particular country on Operation World, just google the country's name along with Operation World and it should come up easily.

Take this great opportunity presented to the church, to send prayer on behalf of other countries and peoples around the world from wherever we are!

1 comment:

  1. Great post, Jason. I have been thinking a lot about our responsibility to pray. It seems to be sort of the last recourse when we want something. How different that is from what God wants. He's all about relationship, wants us to come to Him, depend on Him, trust Him.

    I love your suggestion to use the Olympics to pray for a particular place in the world. And for the missionaries there, I'd like to add.

    Becky

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