For you are my lamp, O LORD, and my God lightens my darkness.
2 Samuel 22:29 ESV
Reflection
Greetings prayer partner,
We are less than a month away from the National Day of Prayer! We pray that you are already making plans to join us in your community to pray. As we begin to prepare our hearts in prayer for the 2024 National Day of Prayer on May the 2nd, we turn to our theme and begin to unpack this year’s theme Scriptures 2 Samuel 22:29-31 over the next 3 weeks.
This year’s theme, “Lift Up the Word, Light Up the World,” came from a significant time of fervent prayer and a bit of what I will call “holy frustration.” I am sure you have experienced “holy frustration” when God breaks your heart for what breaks His, or you know God’s will from His Word is not being regarded or accomplished. Our first response in these moments is to ask the Holy Spirit to “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) In every situation that we find frustration leading to anxiousness we need to examine ourselves and honestly determine if we are participating in the problem, then repent and diligently seek God in prayer and Scripture to determine His holy solution.
In this case, I had become frustrated, even weary of hearing people talk so much about the “darkness” that they perceive is taking over America and the world. It seemed all conversations led to pointing out the darkness in all areas of our communities and Country. I could almost envision Satan smiling, taking a bow, and thanking us for praising all his work. Satan is not an equal foe to God Almighty, he is a fallen created being who days are short, and head is being crushed by our Lord Jesus Christ. (Gen. 3:15) The darkness was not just an issue of Satan’s work; sadly we, the Church, are to blame as well because darkness is an absence of light. Jesus pronounced that we, as His followers, are the light of the world, not to be hidden but to shine, to dispel the darkness. (John 8:12, Matt. 5:14)
God is Light and in Him is no darkness. (1 John 1:5-6) He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into His Kingdom of Light. (Col.1:13) You and I do not stumble around in the darkness; we light it up! Our presence, our attitudes, words, and actions should brighten the day and way of everyone we encounter as we are filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus fills our hearts, God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105)
God did not put a dimmer switch on His people. If our communities and country are getting darker it is because we are covering up our light; keeping quiet when we should speak up, only looking to our own interests when we should be tending to the issues of our towns. We are guilty of stepping back from the fight to maintain righteousness in our schools, government, entertainment, business decisions, defending the weak and oppressed, and even deciding to “keep the peace” in our family and church instead of obeying the Prince of Peace. Things seem “darker” in this world because we let it by refusing to “LIGHT” it. For every time we said, “I don’t want to be ‘that’ person” or we were more concerned about offending someone instead of our Savior, we let the darkness take more ground.
How to Pray
I prayed and asked God for forgiveness and have resolved to look around my neighborhood and nation to see where Satan is working and go LIGHT him up! Will you join me? Enough is enough! I am tired of playing defense with the devil, it is time for the righteous, redeemed by the blood, followers of Jesus to rise and shine!
This is not a call to be rude, it is a call to live out the life and light of Jesus, to bring help and hope to a world that is dismayed and needs to see the joy, assurance, courage, and light that not only gets us through every day but the abundant life that lights our lives and cannot be snuffed out by any earthly circumstance. This year’s theme reminds us to lift up Jesus, the Light of the world and to lift up the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures. This National Day of Prayer we will lift up The Word, not our preferences, opinions, agendas, or politics. We will not wield our woundedness but lift up the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We will not let division and differences keep us from coming together to agree that we need God and America need prayer, fervent prayer from the overflow of hearts guarded and guided by Light.
Will you join me in prayer?
Lord, we repent for the times that we should have spoken up, we should have shined Your light, Your will, Your Word, against an attack and agenda of darkness but we remained silent. You tell us to be strong and courageous. Help us to live in Your light, to know and show Your light. Forgive us where we have let doubt and darkness hold us captive, for the times we did not trust You, when we have forgotten Your faithfulness, Your Power, Your promises, and Your precepts that call us to an abundant and victorious life in You. You are our Light and Life and we praise You and overflow with thanks. We commit daily to, “Lift Up the Word, Light Up the World.” In the mighty, miraculous, name of Jesus we pray, Amen!
Serving Him with gladness,
Kathy Branzell
President
