Lord, it's almost 5 p.m. and I stayed home from work today. I really did ache, but the paradoxical thing is that I finished the stenciling in the office and feel better. I still find my eyes bleary, but the ache in my upper back is gone. :P
The topic for this entry has to do with my prayer requests, and in fact probably many people's prayer requests. Dawn from MOPS just posted a request for salvation for her husband, who is meeting (maybe even still, right now) with an elder from church. Dawn is a young Christian, though she is middle-aged, and like many young Christians, she uses super-spiritual, holy terminology. But you know what? That prayer request is right on the money. Her husband, Mark, is a military veteran with problems with addiction and probably PTSD. The clinician in me knows a lot about how to treat these problems. Sometimes I get frustrated that people over-spiritualize the approach to these psychological problems; if the plumbing is broken, don't pray over it, call a plumber! But I guess that having a spiritual sensitivity in the midst of these problems is good.
But that brings me to something that has niggled at my mind and heart for a while now. The church prayer chain, and in fact most Christian prayer requests, are just too much for me.
"Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done." In everything. Especially in the salvation of sinners and the redemption of the people You have called.
And for that, I will ask You to soften Mark's heart and to unclog his spiritual ears, because without the preliminary work of the Holy Spirit, no one comes to You.
PS Julie's spiritual direction for next year; Amy's wrapping up with Casa de la Esperanza; George's strengthening and stamina for work and ministry. Amen!
