A Prayer about Those Who Wrestle Wild Beasts
And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I face death every day— yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Cor. 15:30–32 NIV)
Dear Jesus, I have no clue what kind of wild beasts Paul wrestled with in Ephesus, whether they were of the four legged or two legged variety or if they were simply demons. It makes absolutely no difference. For Paul, all of life became a journey and adventure of living out the radical implications of the gospel. Because of your resurrection, he would be resurrected; therefore death held no threat. Because of your resurrection, all “beastliness” will be ultimately eradicated; therefore, he would wrestle anything for your glory.
Jesus, this moves me to pray today for friends who have taken on various “beastly” callings. I praise you for my friends who have gone to work for the International Justice Mission— for their willingness to work in the seedy, dark world of human trafficking. I thank you for these servants, many of whom endanger themselves every hour. I bless you, Jesus, for the women and children they have already rescued, and I pray for thousands more. Keep them resourced, wise, and filled with the hope of the gospel.
I pray for my friends living in AIDS colonies in the mountains of Uganda. Jesus, it is so encouraging to know that the percentage of those infected with HIV has decreased in Uganda. Much of this progress has come through the care of your people: good scientists, health care personnel, politicians, and missionaries. Bless their efforts even more. They often get weary in well doing, so bring the grace and truth of the gospel to bear in supernatural ways. Refresh them with your grace. Renew their heart affections for you. Keep their relationships oiled with the Holy Spirit, as sometimes it gets very hard to love one another in such demanding and draining circumstances.
Jesus, don’t let us sin against these by failing to pray for them. We don’t understand all the mysteries of prayer; we just know you have taught us to pray. Shut the mouths of the beasts by the power of the gospel, for the glory of your name.
Amen.