A heart for America
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Matthew 23:77
Many times, I feel this way about America. I cry out to God and plead, “Please hold on to us!” I believe He feels the same way about America as He did about Jerusalem in this passage. Jesus lamented over Jerusalem because God had sent many messengers to guide them back to His path and into His blessing, yet they rejected, beat, and even killed those sent to them.
Thankfully, today we have the ultimate rescue in Christ Jesus our Savior, who has made provision for us on an individual level. We can personally walk with Him. Even when it seems like those in power are rejecting God’s ways, multitudes of believers are still praying for and loving the people of this nation.
As it was in the Old Testament, we are now the prophets and messengers God is sending into our towns, country, and the world. Christians carry the message of salvation and freedom from the enemy’s oppression. We, God’s children, are empowered by His Spirit to pray and lead those around us out of the pit of destruction. We are the ones called to proclaim His love for all people—not just some and not just the “good” ones. God’s love extends to everyone, and His desire is that all would come to the knowledge of salvation through a personal relationship with Him.
It’s humbling to realize that He is counting on us to bring people in. God has a plan for His people to reach those who are searching—and even those who aren’t. The power of the Holy Spirit to change lives is as great today as it ever was, and the urgency is growing because the time we have left to reach them is shorter than ever.
Today, I want to encourage you to pour out your heart before God for America. Just as Jesus prayed for Jerusalem, pray for God’s Spirit to move in the heart of this nation. Resist the temptation to focus on what’s wrong or point fingers at who is to blame. Instead, ask God to show you how you can be part of the solution He has already prepared.
God still takes what the enemy meant for evil and turns it for good. He still works miracles and brings transformation every day. Don’t look at the world or America with an attitude of hopelessness. Pray! Commit to praying each day for God’s hand to move in this nation and in the world. We are the force that God has placed here to make an impact at this time with our lives, our prayers, and His message of salvation. Let’s rise to this calling and let His Spirit work through us to bring hope and restoration.
Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 23:31-39
31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt.
33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
38 See! Your house is left to you desolate;
39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
The Daily Dose 