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Mark 5:22-43

24 Sep

One of the synagogue officials named Jairus *came up, and on seeing Him, *fell at His feet and *implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.” And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him. A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” While He was still speaking, they *came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, *said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They *came to the house of the synagogue official; and He *saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. And entering in, He *said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He *took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and *entered the room where the child was. Taking the child by the hand, He *said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” ). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.

Mark 5:22-43

Dear God, according to this telling of the story, he didn’t even let anyone else go to Jairus’ house with him besides Peter, James and John. I’ve never had this thought before, but I wonder if he left the other nine disciples behind to keep everyone else from following him. Why did he take three of them? Why these three? I suppose he needed witnesses and maybe even a little bit of physical presence beyond being alone against mourners who were about to get angry with him.

Of course, I’m completely guessing on all of this. What I do know is that Peter, James and John had front row seats to this miracle. I wonder how they reacted internally when this happened. I suppose witnessing something like this would either inspire me and completely affirm my decision to follow Jesus or it would scare me and I would take off. Why do I get the feeling that it would have scared me?

Father, these three men were put into a unique situation. I cannot imagine seeing what they saw and then being asked to do what the were asked to do. I’m grateful for all of them. These events shaped who they became in the early church. You are shaping me too. Please shape me into the man you need me to be.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 24, 2018 in Mark, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — Mark 1:29-31

21 Sep

After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.

Mark 1:29-31

Dear God, this was quite a day for James and John. Not only did they see Jesus authoritatively rebuke a demon at the synagogue, but then they saw Jesus heal Simon’s mother-in-law. What was this new world they had gotten themselves into?

I also kind of wonder what this home was like and who all loved in it. Mark indicates that it was both Simon’s and Andrew’s home. Since Peter had a mother-in-law we can infer that he had a wife—possibly children too?

There is so much we think we know about the Bible, but the truth is that our knowledge is limited and flawed. We have incomplete pictures is these people and their lives. We are just left to try to learn what we can from what we do have.

Father, it’s obvious that These first four disciples were key. After all, both Matthew and Mark specifically refer to their recruitments. Help me gain insights into myself by learning from them. Be glorified in my life so that others might see you and follow you.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 21, 2018 in Mark, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — Mark 1:16-20

18 Sep

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.

Mark 1:16-20

Dear God, I wonder what it was that Jesus saw in these two sets of brothers that made him want to call them to be part of the 12. And I wonder what what going on inside them that they accepted.

I think it partly goes back to the idea of what are we selling when it comes to you and evangelization. Here were some guys who fished for a living. Simon and Andrew were probably not as well off as James and John, but I’m guessing they all felt a certain level of hopelessness. They were obviously hungering for something since they dropped what they were doing to follow Jesus. Jesus was calling people to repent and live holy lives. Is that what they felt they were missing?

Father, help me to be more sensitive to calling people to you. And help me to be more responsive to repenting for my own sins and embracing your grace. Help me to live the life you call me to live so that I might find your peace and be the best ambassador for you that I can.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 18, 2018 in Mark, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — Matthew 26:36-46

14 Sep

36 Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away[f] unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

Matthew 26:36-46

 

Dear God, I wonder why Jesus singled out the Peter, James and John to go with him to pray. And then, after they fell asleep, he singled out Peter among the three of them. He seemingly allowed James and John to keep sleeping. But “he said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

 

I don’t think I’ve ever noticed before that Jesus admonishes Peter to pray not for Jesus and what he’s about to experience, but for Peter himself. Maybe he wasn’t worried as much about John and James. He knew that John would follow him all of the way to the cross. But Peter was about to be sifted and ripped apart and he didn’t know it. He didn’t know what the heck was going on.

 

I’ve noticed in myself lately an apathy towards worshipping you throughout the day. You’ve done some amazing things for me both professionally and personally over the summer, and I guess I am not feeling like I deserve a little “me time.” And by “me time” I mean self-indulgence. I want to do things that artificially stimulate me. I want to listen to “fun” music as opposed to worshipful music. I want to dive headlong into watching college football even though a day of watching it alone will leave me feeling empty and unsatisfied. I want to eat out with friends and coworkers. In short, I’m fat and happy, and I apparently don’t feel the need for you. It’s probably as much or more of a time of prayer as ever, but I am asleep in the garden. Am I like John and unknowingly prepared to follow you to the cross, or am I like Peter and I should be in absolute prayer against falling into temptation?

 

Father, there are more subtleties to this story that I realized. When I look at it focused on Peter, James, and John instead of focusing on Jesus’ experience I am learning things I didn’t expect. So that you for what you are teaching me. Thank you for calling me back to you even though I can be so faithless. Help me to keep from falling into temptation. Help me to be strong for you and your Kingdom. Help me to be your servant in all things. I need you, Father. Help me.

 

In Jesus’ name I pray,

 

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 14, 2018 in Matthew, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — Matthew 20:20-28

08 Sep

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She *said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.” But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They *said to Him, “We are able.” He *said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:20-28

Dear God, I’m this series in learning more about how John and Peter compare with each other, this is one of the few we’ve gotten so far that specifically mentions John.

I guess what I’m thinking about here is John’s family of origin. Did John (and James) grow up with a sense of entitlement? In Mark, when Jesus first called them while they were fishing with their father, it’s says they left him with the hired men. So while they were fishermen, they were the boss’ kids and presumably the heirs apparent. Did they leave behind more wealth to follow Jesus than Andrew and Peter did? Did something in them hope for more financial reward for following Jesus? Did their parents see them as having irresponsibly run off to join the circus, or were the believers? I’m sure they had seen the miracles. Maybe their mom was a believer as well, but she could help trying to give her boys an advantage over the others. It’s also interesting to consider given the passage before when Peter says that they gave up everything to follow Jesus. Did James and John give up just a little more because they had it to give?

We don’t think much about the disciples’ families being around because we are only given very small snippets about them. But here we have John’s and James’ mother talking to Jesus. And she dragging her boys along and making them bow to him. I don’t know how many times in the Bible people feel compelled to bow down to Jesus, but it wasn’t many. He wasn’t that kind of leader. But they were putting him into that category during this interaction probably because they were looking for that kind of power for themselves. In other words, in the pecking order, we bow down to him, but then the others will bow down to us.

I don’t know how old John was at this point, but the one thing we know from this story is that he didn’t stop his mother from doing this. Did he agree with her or not? We don’t know. But we know that he went along with it.

As a privileged white male in our society, I have a lot of advantages over others. Some I have chosen to use for my own gain and some I have intentionally not used in response to your call. But I confess that there are times when I would love to live a wealthier, more powerful, more influential life. I would love to insulate myself from the harder parts of our society and built a tight cocoon around my me and my wife. I have certainly not purged all of the worldly desires in me.

Father, I come to you this morning mindful of my selfishness and my desire to be in control of my life. I am no better than John or James. Help me to get one step closer to turning loose of all of that and embracing your kingdom.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 8, 2018 in Matthew, Peter and John

 

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Peter and John — Matthew 17:1-13

03 Sep

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Matthew 17:1-13

Dear God, in my series on Peter and John, here’s a story that specifically contains both of them (plus James).

I love that Peter can’t stand an awkward moment without just saying something. Previously, we saw Jesus walking to them on water, but instead of just watching everything play out he decided he needed to get out there too. In this case, he couldn’t just sit there and wait until he was needed. He couldn’t imagine that he was there to just take it in and use the knowledge and experience later. He figured he and the other two must be there for physically utilitarian purposes. He didn’t understand and couldn’t imagine that you were using this as a moment to be leaned upon later in his life.

Of course, I’ve always thought that the main reason for the transfiguration experience was to encourage Jesus as he continued his road to Jerusalem. I would love to have heard that conversation. I’m sure it focused around Jesus hearing affirmation and encouragement from them. I wonder if Peter, James and John were truly able to keep it a secret until after the crucifixion.

Then there is John in this story. We aren’t told that he says anything while Moses and Elijah are there. He was probably in awe. Maybe he was talking with Peter and James. Maybe that’s where the shelter idea came from, but Peter was the one who said it. Either way, he was certainly more reserved in his response than was Peter.

Finally, in the trip down the mountain they asked about Elijah. It doesn’t tell us who actually asked it. It probably wasn’t Peter since Matthew seems to like to tell us when it’s Peter talking. Presumably it was either James or John who asked it. But this shows thought of trying to make sense of all of this, connect the dots, cross the t’s, and dot the i’s. While Peter is seemingly completely in the moment, the asker of this question is trying to step out of the moment and look at things from a big-picture point of view.

Father, I am interested to see how all of this plays out. What is it about Peter that I need to look at adding to my life? What is it about him that I already have that I need to discard? The same for John. What can you teach me about my place in the body of Christ by studying these two men and contrasting them against each other? Teach me through this process so that I might become the man you need and want me to be.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 3, 2018 in Matthew, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — Matthew 4:18-22

26 Aug

18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.

21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

Matthew 4:18-22

 

Dear God, I’ve decided I’d like to learn more about Peter and John, how they related to you, and how they compare with each other. To that end, I’m going to start a series where I look at all of the Bible stories that include them as well as the books that they wrote. They were very different people, and yet they were both critical to your earthly ministry and the formation of the church thereafter.  

In this case, I just noticed how Matthew captures these stories. The first people you called were sets of brothers. It wasn’t Matthew, working alone as a tax collector. It was Simon (later renamed Peter—I’ll need to get deeper into that) and Andrew, and then James and John (I wonder if Matthew listed each set of brothers by age or by his perception of their importance). I wonder if it was easier for them to break with their families if they went along with their brothers. Did Simon go along more willingly since Andrew went along too? James with John?  

It can be hard to feel like I am doing the absolute right thing according to your will and feel at odds with your family. I have several examples of my own life, but one example I’ve been thinking about lately is the example of Joseph and Mary. I’m sure their parents were very disappointed with how their lives were turning out. Did Joseph have living parents, and did they express any disapproval to him? After all, he married a pregnant girl and moved with her to Egypt. On the surface, it’s a disastrous result for your child back then. And then the family moved back to Nazareth with Jesus still a boy. Did Jesus understand isolation from this? Did he intentionally call the brothers together for their sake because he saw something in his dad’s experience? I know that I am making all kinds of wild guesses here, and that can be unsafe. But it just seems interesting that Matthew’s first recording of Jesus’ called disciples were brothers.  

Father, give me the courage to do what needs to be done at any given time, regardless of who joins me in it. But do a few things for me, please. Help me to really be sure it is you I am following in it. And please help me to be completely united with my wife through any of it. Speak to her the same thing you are speaking to me at any given time so that me might be one soul, mind, heart, and body at all times.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 26, 2018 in Matthew, Peter and John

 

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Emails to God – When God was Afraid (Matthew 26:36-46)

01 May

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Dear God, thank you that Jesus was fully human. Thank you that, through his earthly life, you understand fear. You understand the sorrow of a suffering parent. You understand being on the receiving end of injustice. You understand being let down by your friends in your own time of need. You understand betrayal when you are vulnerable. Without the sacrifice of Jesus spending 33 years on earth and then being killed in such a terrible way, then we would have a God who doesn’t really know us. You could sympathize, but could you empathize.

I know that Jesus’ death and resurrection was essential to salvation (especially for Gentiles like me), but what made it the perfect plan was that you brought yourself into the world, not to condemn it, but to save it. You came to tell people like me that it is okay. You love me. You support me. You understand me in a way that only an empathetic creator can.

Father, this is a hard scene to read. It is hard to see Jesus afraid. It is hard to see him reluctant and scared. But then I’m sure it is hard for you to see us afraid. I know that a piece of you hurts when we suffer. I know that I hurt the worst for my own children when they experience a pain in their childhood that I experienced in mine, so I am sure the same is true for you. Thank you again for coming down to my level and experiencing all of this. It could have played out differently to accomplish your goals, but your plan’s perfection included your ability to empathize with me.

 
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Posted by on May 1, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – The Last Shall Be First (Matthew 20:17-28)

26 Mar

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

A Mother’s Request

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Dear God, I wonder how much the story of Jesus telling the disciples about his death and this story of James’ and John’s mother coming to Jesus go together. I tend to forget that this was all written as one document—without chapter breaks, verses, and even subheadings like “A Mother’s Request”. But if I imagine reading this without the subheadings, then I see that verse 20 starts with the word “Then”. It implies that this happened right after Jesus stopped speaking. I think Matthew wanted us to get that these things were related.

So, if this is true, what were James and John thinking at this point? What was their mother thinking? Did they go and tell their mom what Jesus had said? Did they or she figure their time was running out to make this request so they had better hurry?

Of course, the overall lesson here is about leadership. What do you expect of me as a leader? What do you want me to do to support those who lead me? Also, what is the difference between leadership at work and out in the world and leadership with my children? How much more responsibility do I have to not only serve my children, but to expect more of them too? Where do I draw that line?

Father, I suppose I am grateful for the impertinence of James’ and John’s mother because it gave Jesus a chance to say that words he spoke here. Help me to lead at work and at home. Help me to understand what leadership, especially at home, should look like and to follow it. I need you as my leader and I submit myself to your leadership. Be glorified through me in all areas of my life and watch over my children. Watch over my wife. Watch over me as well. Please bind us all together and help us to recognize Satan’s attacks and respond to them with your cleansing power.

 
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Posted by on March 26, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – When Life Just Feels Bigger Than You (Matthew 17:1-13)

01 Mar

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Dear God, it can be so hard to understand what is going on around us at any given time. The stories of two different people come to mind.

The first is a news story I watched this morning about a man who moved to The Sudan with Samaritan’s Purse nine years ago. Now, Samaritan’s Purse has evacuated and he resigned from the organization so that he can stay. He married a local woman and can’t stand the thought of abandoning these people to war while he retreats to the safety of the United States. I admire this man’s convictions, love, and loyalty. I wonder how much of what you are doing in his life he really understands. I’m not saying he isn’t doing your will. I’m sure he is. I’m just saying that life must seem so much bigger than he can handle sometimes.

Then there is a friend who is a missionary overseas. I received a newsletter from him and his wife last night. Frankly, his wife, in the article she wrote, seems depressed. I don’t think she likes the city where they live and I think that other aspects of her life are overwhelming her. Raising her children. Supporting her husband. Missing her family. A lack of ability to use her own gifts. It feels like it is too much. She is trying to make sense of it. In her article, she says that she is seeking you and what you have for her in this time. She doesn’t use these words, but, reading between the lines, she seems to be crying out to you and begging you to get her through this.

Verses 10-13 make me think of all of this because the disciples had a lot of stuff going on around them that they didn’t and couldn’t understand. There is no way they could grasp the scope of what was happening. They didn’t realize that they were part of a plan that would launch your plan for the whole world for thousands of years. They didn’t realize that I would be reading about them thousands of years later. They didn’t realize that there would be churches all over the world named after them. It was just too big for them to understand.

Father, I pray for both of the people I mentioned above. For this man that I do not know, use him to end the war in The Sudan. Love him and his family. Comfort them. Protect them. But please use him. Do not let his sacrifice be in vain. I also pray for my friend and his wife. I am sure that he feels as helpless to help his wife as she feels to help herself. Give them guidance and counsel. Help them to emerge from this in a way that makes them stronger with you and more fulfilled in their lives. Unite them together and protect their marriage. Give them hope.

 
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Posted by on March 1, 2012 in Matthew

 

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