For forty days this Lent, I’ve joined with a group of believers who are trying to pray daily for ten people we want to see accept Jesus as Savior.
We’re using the Most Wanted Devotional written by Dr. Terry Tekyl. According to
one source, “Since
1980, Dr. Teykl has been actively teaching and preaching on one topic –
mobilizing the local church to pray
and win the lost. Whether
writing on personal prayer or corporate prayer, the central purpose is to teach
people to pray with power and confidence so that they might win this generation
to Christ.”
I’ve heard Dr. Tekyl preach many
times, and his inspiring words always motivate me to pray harder for those who
do not know Jesus.
The Most Wanted devotional was
not originally Dr. Tekyl’s idea, but inspired by a woman he met at a ministry
event. A piece of paper fell out of her Bible, and he learned it was her “Most
Wanted” list, which she’d kept for years. When one of the people on her list
came to know the Lord, she’d mark that name off, and replace it with another
name.
From this experience, Dr. Tekyl developed
a prayer resource to help others pray over their own Most Wanted.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve not
seen anything happen with my eyes for these people on my list, but by faith, I
believe God is moving.
On this Maundy Thursday, we remember the washing of the feet, the Last Supper, and the betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane. All of this, everything that happened is part of the greater picture of what God was doing described in John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
In 2 Peter 3:8, we find these words, “The
Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead,
he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance (2 Peter 3:8).
God’s heart is that no one should perish.
To that end, he gave His only son.
Yet, like the nodding disciples, we believers
often find ourselves drifting away, caught up in the drowsy anesthesia of the
world, too sleepy to pray for those who do not know the Lord.
Lest you think I’m getting a bit
judgmental, let me go ahead and admit I have nodded with the best of them. No
stones coming from this direction.
But, here’s the thing: we’re God’s plan A
for reaching the world. There is no plan B. Jesus left us with the assignment.
There you have it, so, if just one thing
changes in our lives this Holy Week, let it be that we allow God to impassion
our hearts for others who have not found life in Christ.
And if you’re reading this and do not know
Jesus as Lord and Savior, today is a great day to make that commitment. For information on how to begin that journey
you may go HERE.