Encircling Prayer

A newly acquired pool pal texted me Friday mid morn. Her daughter, an elementary teacher in a poor section of a city three hours from my doorstep, was under lock down. Shots had been heard, and the small number of early to arrive students were secured with their schoolmarms. Gratefully speaking, the worst had been averted, and this tragedy never made it to mass media. None the less, it did leave a tragic, forever, imprint on the lives of a few of our young brothers and sisters in Christ.

Earlier, that very same morning I had shared the sidewalks with the youth in my own neighborhood. They were gathered in clumps. The boys (half asleep) and the girls (wide awake chatterers) were waiting for the school bus. I felt like a single lump dodging around them as I navigated my morning walk. Though my earbuds were what I listened to, my mom’s heart heard a deeper message.

Ironically (or maybe God inspired), my thoughts while maneuvering around the budding scholars centered in how primitive our ability to safeguard them has become. Sick, devil driven forces now pose one of the greatest threats to the safety of students seeking to be educated. Schools, yesterday, used to be the place where young minds could fulfill their dreams. Can’t help but worry if, today, students’ minds might fear that school is where a nightmare is more likely to explode. No child should ever need to tread this quagmire for the sake of being educated. Wrong as this is, and as upset as it makes me, I have no power to stop the evil haters who thrive on destroying children. However, God does. Therefore, I have given myself a Devine inspired, standing homework assignment. I WILL PRAY FOR GOD TO DO WHAT MAN CAN NOT.

Now, as this Grammy encounters all the young ‘uns on my morning walks, in appearance I will solely be circling around them to continue onward. In truth, I will be encircling all of them in intercessory prayer that God edges a perimeter of His protection around each and every soul mounting a school bus that day.

I extend my assignment to your hearts, too. Sidewalks across America are filled with our children waiting for their yellow bus. It will do your heart good to exercise. It will do your soul good to pray for our Nation’s students. How about timing your walk so you can pass our sidewalk waiting youth. As you do, silently pray that each child of God is sealed in their Heavenly Father’s protection as they go off to unseal the knowledge planted in their hearts, minds and souls. “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” 1John 5:14 (ESV)