God's Heart Is Too Big

Since the The Big Ben Minute (see below) was released this spring, a number of media folks have asked me about the Minute of Prayer movement.  What's the bottom line ... what's the angle?  Is this about praying to end abortion?  Our loss of freedoms?  The upcoming election?  The war on terror? 

The answer is YES.  And a thousand thousand other things we Christians should be caring about and fervently praying for.

But, how do we cover all that ground in 60 seconds?  Why, it would be absurd to think we could effectively do such a thing.  Think about it....

Just as our Father God keeps countless worlds in motion, while His eye is on the fallen sparrow, likewise, His heart swells with compassion for each of the seven billion humans on this planet -- including the three hundred million of us who live in the United States of America.

- Each time a young person is cut down in the prime of life by a bullet or a bomb on the battlefield, He is right there, feeling the pain that mankind's sin has brought on our world.      
- Each time a tender baby is savagely poisoned or torn limb from limb by an abortion procedure, God is there feeling the agony and bearing the infant away in His everlasting arms.
- Each time a young lady sits alone, cutting her body with razors to express the pang of loneliness in her soul, or a young man pumps destructive chemicals into his veins in an attempt to soothe the misery of his existence for just an hour ...
- When the hopeless newborn gasps for air in a dumpster ...
- Or the carefree girl is dragged into an alley at gunpoint ...
- Or the young couple loads that last cardboard box into the car and drives away from their home in despair, because the bank has taken possession ...
- Or doctor calls, and yes, it's malignant ...

Our Father God's heart weeps for the pain of all who are oppressed by the devil, and He desires to saturate us with His compassion so we may intercede for their release.  But His heart is too big.  If He were to saddle any one of us, even for a moment, with the sorrow He feels for lost humanity, it would crush us!

What, then?  There's an old hymn that opens with the words:
Lord, lay some soul upon my heart
And love that soul through me ...

You see, God will take one splinter of that massive cross of mankind's suffering, and He'll lay it on you or me.  And, we always know what splinter He's placed in our heart, because it pinches deeply each time we think about it!  Your splinter might be the vacuum of godly leadership in our nation.  Mine might be the 3000+ babies cruelly slaughtered each day in the U.S. alone -- or maybe it's the countless young ladies who can never seem to wash their hands of the guilt over ending a child's life.  Another's splinter might be the homeless young families sheltering in the old condemned post office building down the street. 

So, when my alarm buzzes at 9:00 p.m., calling me to join my voice with the invisible throng across our nation who are praying at this same moment, I hold up my splinter to the One who gave it.  And, as each of us holds up his or her splinter, the cross of God's compassion takes shape in our corporate prayer.  That's when Heaven and Earth touch, and the infinite heart of our loving Father connects with His people's supplication.  And that's when He can start to move across America, an every broken heart, and broken home, and broken church, and broken state, to bring hope and deliverance.

What, then, is the "bottom line"?  What's the purpose of our Minute of Prayer?  It's to pray for whatever splinter of burden God has laid on each of us.  That, ultimately, He may forgive our sin and heal our land.

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"Brother, Can You Spare a Minute?"
 
For more information on the National Minute of Prayer movement, visit the web site:
Minute of Prayer

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Copyright © Brad Fenichel 2012 All Rights Reserved