day eleven of the fast

Day eleven of the fast.

Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the LORD. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD.

(Judges 20:26)Today we pray for the Middle East (that the Lord will give us kingdom strategies for reaching the lost in this very important region of the world).

Fasting in the Old Testament was a mark of despair and deep desire. In the passage above, the Israelites had been defeated in a battle and were desperate for the Lord to hear them. So they fasted.

I have not had the answers I am seeking personally yet, but there are still ten days after today. I have already almost been a the point of weeping and probably will be again before it is through. I wait on the Lord.

I do know, however, that many of the Middle Eastern Christian are weeping and fasting wondering what it is that God has in store for them at this point. Islam (I do not believe there is a difference today between “radical” Islam and just plain Islam especially after I read some of the Koran) is working to wipe them out. Raping, torture, killing of little children, beheading – all horrible atrocities done in the name of a god who is malign and malignant representative of all that is ugly in humanity.

I do not understand why God allows this travesty of religion to endure.

Not much else to say today.

Father God, I ask for your blessings and your intervention in behalf to he Middle Eastern Christians. They are in such trouble. Hear them and help them. Move over their countries and wipe out their persecution by your sovereign power. Help them, Lord. Hear me, too. Move away my depression and give me joy as I had when first coming into contact with your Spirit. Give me peace. Give this church here in Lincoln peace and bless it. Give us new people to help us, new people to whom we can reach out to show your love. Make Sunday a full building of worshipers. I praise you. Amen.