How to pray for my family

It’s my sense that many Christians in the United States are confused about our social location. We believe that we’re living in Israel. As Israel’s prophets confronted the kings of Judah with a call for Torah living, so we are convinced that the American Church’s role is to call for a national return to Torah.

We’re mistaken. We do not live in Israel, we live in Babylon. We are not Isaiah, we are Esther. And the people we risk our lives for are not a hereditary people at risk of genocide, they are the powerless and oppressed. First those of the faith, but also the person of color gunned down by law enforcement, the transgender youth denied access to education, and the woman seeking an abortion. We carry Jesus' rebel mercy for his Jewish, Samaritan, and Roman neighbor two thousand years ago to the multi-ethnic nations in our neighborhood.

It’s likely that we’ll be imprisoned for our mercy, just as Jesus and his apostles after him. We may even see the day when we too are executed, I do not know. All that matters is the privilege of walking behind Jesus, to be near to him and to become like him in every way. In the wilderness of testing, in mercy to the outcast, in opposition of the religious leaders, and in suffering; even to the death. And one day in exaltation and a victory over the grave for which only faith is evidence.

Let me speak personally. We have heard Jesus' encouragement not to be surprised when we are persecuted, for we shall be persecuted even by those convinced that they do God’s work. When I am imprisoned for sheltering a transgender person or a teenage woman who had an abortion or some other act of mercy (and that hour looms before me like an approaching storm), it will not surprise me when Christians cry out for judgment at my sentencing. So did their fathers the Pharisees, children of vipers.

If you would pray for us, pray that we would not rationalize inaction in that day, nor shrink in justified fear for the well-being of our family. Plead that we would not be led into that hour of testing but, if it is our path, that we would be protected from the evil one. I will do the same for you.