I write this one with some trepidation. You know the Great Commission: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” I am not nearly as Great Commission-minded as I wish I was.
I grew up reading the Global Prayer Digest every night after dinner. I had a period in my adult life where I would get the annual 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World guide, and pray in a more focused way during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting.
Right now, though, I’m lucky to keep my younger boys’ attention during Window on the World, and to pray a bit as I go about my day.
So I recognize that “a heart for the world” is not as primary in my life in this season as I wish. I do seek to be faithful and pray that my heart might be bigger.
A few years back, a Christian was thinking about how to deal with the rise of terrorism. And he thought, “Terrorists need Jesus! I can pray!” And so he began the organization “Adopt a Terrorist for Prayer.” You can go to atfp.org and sign up to pray for a terrorist. That seems like something Sonlighters would like. It’s a bit outrageous. It’s a chance to change the world.
I love that, for long-time Sonlighters especially, when you read that previous paragraph, you probably either thought, “I should do that,” or, “I don’t have time for that.”
But you probably didn’t think, “Why would I want to pray for terrorists?”
Because, distracted as you may be, as stretched thin and weary as you may find yourself, you still have a heart for the world.
And if you haven’t done Sonlight for very long, you haven’t had much opportunity yet to read missionary biographies, to pray for various people groups around the world, to learn about the ways that God is at work in the world. But you will!
Warmly,
Amy Lykosh
John and Sarita's oldest daughter
Second-generation Sonlighter
Homeschooling mom to five
