Digging Deeper: Pleading Bold Prayers

Have you ever pleaded with God for something? Have you ever laid out insanely specific prayers, cries of your own heart, in desperation for an answer?

Several times in my life, I have found myself physically crying out to God. When I was 16, my dad was diagnosed with lung and liver cancer. I only had six days with him from diagnosis to heaven. I begged God to heal him, to give him a miraculous comeback, one that I was certain would be an amazing testimony, only helping further His kingdom. When His answer was to heal him in heaven, my heart was broken. I remember those prayers like I just prayed them yesterday. They were specific, bold, and raw.

In Genesis chapter 18, Abraham could have easily and boldly asked God to spare just his nephew’s family. He could have dismissed the rest of the city and only pleaded on behalf of his family members, but he didn’t. Instead, he pleaded on behalf of the wicked as well.

How’s your heart? When you think about your community, are you more worried about what not to do or where not to go, rather than how you can make an impact and change the story? How do you feel about praying for strangers that you don’t even know?

If you were in Abraham’s shoes, would you selfishly only ask to save your family, or would you be bold and dare to pray for all of your community to be spared?

I pray as you tackle this day that you have a heart that is burdened for others. I pray for the community that you affect and the community that directly affects you, that you would have a fire to make a difference.