Chosen and Rescued

The joke is that Helen must be 300 years old.  She is a very small, shriveled-up woman always ready to speak her mind.  I met her when we were new in the neighborhood.  I opened our gate and found her standing very near our door; to my surprise she immediately began fussing at me.  Even though her tone was clear, her words were hard to understand-I am still not sure if it was her dialect or lack of teeth.  Either way, I did understand that because we were neighbors, she thought that I should be asking her for carrots and other things I might need.

Several years later, Helen still fusses at me.  She fusses when I don’t join her daughters when they all come to visit; she fusses if I travel without telling her; she fusses that I don’t ask to borrow carrots.  Her age gives her much authority here.  Not many people would disagree with her on anything-even if she decided to follow Jesus.  She is a pillar in the community.  Her children and grandchildren are plentiful in this neighborhood; many are open to discussing truth.  Pray that our Father would open the eyes of Helen and others in her family, to see their sin and need for a Savior.  Thank Him for the favor He has granted out family in their eyes, and ask that His name will one day be praised in this family.

1 Peter 1:18-21

“You were rescued from the useless way of life that you learned from your ancestors. But you know that you were not rescued by such things as silver or gold that don’t last forever.   You were rescued by the precious blood of Christ, that spotless and innocent lamb. Christ was chosen even before the world was created, but because of you, he did not come until these last days. And when he did come, it was to lead you to have faith in God, who raised him from death and honored him in a glorious way. That’s why you have put your faith and hope in God”.

Holy Father and our Lord Christ, thank you for rescuing people from everything that is evil.  Thank you for bringing goodness into our hearts. You are Goodness. You did not do it by becoming a slave master, but by becoming a slave who will give Your life to rescue many people.   Thank you for Your love for Helen, her family and so many others like them.  We leave them in your loving and precious hands.

Additional Prayers:

• Pray national leaders to come to know Christ and for wisdom to rule their lands in righteousness and justice.
• Pray for aid opportunities to open up in the nations for Christian workers.
• Pray for Christian Radio programs to reach into remote villages as well as the cities.
• Pray that relationships between Christian workers, neighbors and friends will flourish and bear fruit.

(permission to use this story was obtained from it’s originating author. Names have been changed to protect identities)