Are your decorations up? Are your gifts all wrapped? Thanks for taking time out to join us on our Advent journey as we look at those people who have had a role in our personal “Legacy of Faith.”
People often speak of the church as their “family,” so today we will remember those within the body of Christ who have deeply impacted the course of our lives.
When I was a teenager, a member of the parish came to my father for help. She listed all her woes, her aches and her pains in great detail. After several meetings, all recounting the same miseries, my father suggested that she find a way to serve others instead of focusing on herself. The advice was sound, but Jeri chose to make the pastor’s daughter–me–the focus of her attention. At the time, I was not enamored with the prospect.
Jeri prayed for me every day. She wrote me letters when I went off to college. She offered advice that I did not want. But she kept on praying. When I dated a young man who was not a believer, Jeri prayed me out of that relationship. She prayed that I would attend a strong Bible program after college. She asked God to guide me in my decision to join Wycliffe Bible Translators and head to Mexico. Jeri was the only person I knew who actually knelt down and cried out to God about my needs.
Today, I am grateful for this woman who set aside her own concerns and prayed so fervently for mine. My life would have been very different without her influence.
In John 17, Jesus faced the end of His ministry on earth. He knew that beatings, mockery, and crucifixion lay ahead of Him. Yet He set aside His own concerns and focused His prayers on those He left behind. He said, “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” Jesus prayed fervently for you and me!
How have people from your church touched your life? Who has made praying for you a priority? How can you pray for them today?
