Who Will Stand in the Gap?

When we are a world away from our family and the spiritual warfare around us is so evident–sometimes to the point where the lines of spiritual battle and physical battle cross over and become one–we rely heavily on our support team to uphold us in prayer. As missionaries we awkwardly talk about the need for our financial support team because it is just the reality that we have to have the financial support to do what we do. But let us not neglect to talk about our spiritual/prayer support team.

I remember the story of God waking Samuel from his sleep and speaking to him. It is such a blessing and a privilege to have partners on our support team who hold us up in prayer. We’ve heard stories of some who God stirs at night and they lie awake praying for us until God gives them a peace to go back to sleep. Our day being night in the US, their prayers were being lifted up right when we needed them as we were encountering some kind of burden at that moment. It was such a blessing to our hearts to hear later how they were praying at just the right time!

There are different kinds of pray-ers in God’s family. Sometimes my prayers may be in the form of a “shotgun prayer” quickly shot up in the moment. Others, like Robyn, really TALK to God like they’re friends catching up after being apart for a long time, even though they really just spent the day together. You know, the people you don’t want to pray before the meal because it will be cold by the time they’re done praying! When you listen to them pray, you almost feel like you’re being rude and eavesdropping on their private conversation. God loves diversity and there is precious value in both kinds of pray-ers.

Over the last year we have lost 3 of those fervent prayer partners from our support team as God canceled their long-distance calling plan and relocated them to the same area code. This has left us wondering who will stand in the gap. Who will cover the holes in their prayer mats with their own knees and pray for our family and the North Wahgi people?

We want to thank those of you who are a part of our spiritual/prayer support team. Many of you do so without recognition. Thank you for taking up arms in the spiritual battle that takes place around our family and this ministry. If you want to know how you can pray more specifically for our family and the North Wahgi church, please let us know.