The Shanty of Prayer

A dream grips my heart.

As the great hand of time is ever-moving forward and making the days, weeks and months go from present to past, the grip gets stronger.  I have found that this dream has captured my thoughts and has fueled my prayers.  One might say that it is just that, a dream, a long-shot, unlikely and even impossible.  Maybe that is just the reason why I want to give myself to it.  To be able to look upon Matthew 19:26 and know that this verse is true.  “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Oh, to be able to partner with the living God  and to give myself to help establish something bigger than myself in this short time-frame  I have in this life!

I am longing to pioneer and plant prayer and worship centers with and amongst the impoverished of the earth across the globe.  A shanty of prayer, if you will.  Abodes where the destitute of the earth pledge their loyalty and love to the Father of heaven, that He may possess His rightful inheritance in them.  A place in which the beggared pursues the fullness of their joy found in the richness of Christ.  Where communities and villages persistently cry out to the Judge of heaven and earth to overturn injustices and stand strong on their behalf , instead of taking up arms and spilling blood in revolutionary movements.

In studying global economics and seeing the systems that are in place to keep the majority of the earth trapped in intractable poverty and then walking through countries like Jamaica and Haiti, a hopelessness can start crawling over one’s heart.  What can my wife and I really do?  There are already so many humanitarian organizations that are established, with lots of funds and resources and headline names backing and even leading them.  When nations have entire countries and regions toiling generation after generation for mere pennies in order to insure their empires stay in control.  The statistics of poverty, malnutrition and disease are so colossal, can we really turn the tide or make a difference?

In the despondency of the situation, the angle of my perspective shifts.  It is not about what we can do but in WHO we know.  Our human strength is very limited, yet we are royalty.  A daughter and son of the King.  Heirs with Christ.  Beneficiaries of a kingdom whose influence and increase will be forevermore.  I want to see earth as it is in heaven.

I realize that this dream that has gripped my heart is not just imagination aimlessly running about.  The dream was placed there by another.  The dream is God’s.  Not only is it His, but He wants its fulfillment more than I do!  The dream was always God’s, and He has allowed me to take part in it.  To be with Him where He is.

¹¹ Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him;
All nations shall serve Him.

¹² For He will deliver the needy when he cries,
The poor also, and him who has no helper.

¹³ He will spare the poor and needy,
And will save the souls of the needy.

¹⁴ He will redeem their life from oppression and violence;
And precious shall be their blood in His sight.

¹⁵ And He shall live;
And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him;
Prayer also will be made for Him continually,
And daily He shall be praised.

Psalm 72

~Adam