Prayer For The Searching

PRAYER FOR THE SEARCHING

There are people all over the world—from those in penthouses in the largest cities to those in huts in the most remote villages—searching for God. Some are actively searching by asking questions, attending church, or maybe reading the Bible. Others are trying to fill their lives with things they think will satisfy the deep desires within them. Often once our eyes are opened to the fact that Christ is the only one who can satisfy our deepest longings, we turn a blind eye toward or even look down on those who are still searching.

When the Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish law questioned why Jesus welcomed tax collectors and sinners to eat with him, Jesus told these two parables:

Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Luke 15:4-10, NIV

God pursues the lost—the people who are searching, the people caught in sin, and the people who think they don’t need him. And as followers of Jesus, we are called to be his ambassadors, pursuers of those who are still searching.

• Spend a few minutes now praying for the people all over our world who are lost and searching for God.
• What comes to mind as you think about what they might be feeling and what they might need to know?
• Ask God to bring to mind specific people he is inviting you to reach out to so they might come to know his goodness and love. Pray for those individual people, and pray that God would show you the best next step to take with each one.

May your Kingdom come, may your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.