Devotion: Pray the News
Acts 17:26-28 says “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
I’m kind of a news hound. My phone buzzes with regular updates from CNN, MSNBC, CBSN, Journal Star, KFOR, KLKN, KOLN, ESPN. During the slow times in the work day, I find myself looking to my phone and thinking, “Can’t something interesting happen that I can follow.” That is a deep and true confession. These constant updates from afar make the world seem smaller, more intimate. Breaking News updates are rarely good news, reporters have never broken into Dancing with the Stars to announce that a group was accepting of the family who moved in down the street. No, we only hear the negative occurrences.
Our 7-year-old prays when she sees an ambulance or fire truck pass by us on the street. Her amazing spirit of love for others is inspiring and has moved me to think about those we get the hourly updates on. I have taken it on to use the opportunity of a breaking update to be a 5-second prayer break instead: “Lord, watch over those experiencing the fear of fire engulfing their belongings.” “Holy Father, give wisdom and strength to those deciding the fate of voting rights.” “Please, watch over the families of those injured and killed in the train accident.” “Thank you Lord for the strength and dedication of those athletes who strive to reach their highest goals.”
Praying the news is a way for me to use my every day as a way to shrink the world further and bring it from my consciousness back to His hands. I examine who I see in the story, why it is affecting me. What can I do? Interacting with these emotions and thoughts gives rise to a connection to God’s heart, my reaction is His. It is vital that these reactions not lead to condemnation, but to move toward a spirit of faithfulness, patience, kindness, love, peace. We are all of one part and our connection with each other through God makes the world more intimate than we could have realized.
Prayer: May we, Beloved children of God, move through each day, deeply rooted in the knowledge that “we live in God, we move in God; we exist in God.” From that place may the work of our lives be healing, mercy and fearless love. (Prayer by Kristi Atkinson)
This devotion was written by Melissa Abele as a way to encourage women to know, love and serve God.