Coming back to the first leg

John writes in 3rd John, " I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health as it goes well with your soul."  I attended a Bible study recently on 3rd John--that is rare in itself, and I was convicted by this verse.  As I have tired of superficial prayer meetings where only circumstances and health have been prayed for, I have begun to emphasize two other aspects that should fill our prayers and prayer requests.  One is prayer for our heart--that is, our emotions, our fears, our temptations, our struggles.  The other is prayer for our world--politics in the mid-east, the persecuted church in China, missionary work in Cambodia, poverty in India.  Together with prayers for our circumstances (health, travel, jobs), these are three legs of a stool, without which it would be imbalanced.

Thank you, God, that while you are concerned about these other two categories of prayer, that does not mean you are not deeply concerned with our circumstances.  Forgive my stoicism when I don't ask for prayer for a long road march.  Forgive my self-righteousness when I over-spiritualize my counseling and field-services, and I subconsciously assume you don't care nearly as much about friends for my kids, or the strength of my back, or what Craig does for school in the fall.

I pray for Soldiers that feel stuck, their family members who have lost hope, abusive marriages, troubled teens; and also for Benjamin and Jaynie's colds, sniffles, and congestion.  Thank you that you are such a God that you care about matters great and small!