Today is the National Day of Prayer. This year’s theme is “Love one Another.”
I had a nighttime vision a few years back where I was taken to a prison cell in North Korea. There in a small cell was a naked young Christian lady. She had been beaten, repeatedly raped by prison guards, and was starving. The prison cell was freezing cold and she had no blankets or cot to sleep on. She sat huddling herself on the cold cement floor, weeping her heart out.
The vision was so real that I could feel the cold and the same fear she felt. As I looked on, I wondered why I was there. What could I do?
Then, the Holy Spirit spoke to me: “Will you trade places with her?”
The first thought to hit my head — If I trade places with her, no one will ever hear of me again. My wife won’t know what happened to me nor my children nor my grandchildren nor anyone. All of my hopes and plans will end in this cell. My life will be over forever.
Yet, I knew the Holy Spirit was waiting for an answer. I couldn’t postpone it forever.
Finally, I said, “Yes, Lord, I’ll trade places with her.”
The vision instantly ended.
But my first thoughts still haunt me. You see, I cared more about my personal welfare than about hers. That was not love.
Paul the apostle spoke about his love for the Jews, the ones who were his main enemies:
For my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters, I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. (Romans 9:3)
You see, Paul was willing to spend a lifetime in Hell if it would save his Jewish brothers and sisters. That’s the same love Jesus showed us on the cross. It’s called agape love.
My prayer today:
Lord, pour out Your Spirit on us American believers so that we no longer seek our own welfare but the welfare of our neighbors and countrymen even if it means our deaths.
Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for the Body of Christ in America.
Larry Who 