Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions (mercies) fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

As intercessors, we stand in the gap for myriad peoples and problems (probably) every day. But, have you ever thought this way of the following verse in relation to your prayers?

James 5:16: “...pray for one another that you may be “healed.” The fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

The quotation marks on “healed” are mine. That’s because I think you can substitute other words there and not do any violence to the intent of the verse. For example:

Pray for others that you may be at peace. Pray for others that you may be increased. Pray for others that you may gain wisdom and favor. Pray for others that you may be hidden in the shelter of his wings. I think you are getting the picture.

Our family had a sudden reminder of the mercy and faithfulness of our God to hear and answer our prayers AND yours. I know that everyone of you reading this post pray for the world as do all of our World Shapers. Some of those prayers have been about the horrors of child trafficking and kidnapping.  Well, about two weeks ago in Nicaragua, our two year old grandson was kidnapped. Yes, you read that correctly – KIDNAPPED!

As I first began to relate the story to others, I was saying “almost” kidnapped. However, our grandson was in the arms of a strange woman, out of the store where he had been with his mother and sister and was being quickly carried toward a car in the parking lot. BY THE MERCY and grace of God, our grandson’s Uncle (who had been waiting in the parking lot for our daughter-in-law and his niece and nephew) “just happened to see” the woman rushing away with our little one! He jumped from his vehicle shouting, “NO!, NO!, NO!” and ripped his nephew out of the woman’s arms. Unfortunately, at the small grocery in rural Nicaragua, there were no cameras or police and the woman got away.

IF, the getaway car had been parked in front of the store. IF the uncle had been texting (or otherwise occupied), this story would have been much different.

My prayers, your prayers, World Shaper’s prayers, the prayers of a natural father and the mercy of our heavenly Father all combined together to give us a “Good Report!”

REJOICE with us and, “THANK YOU!” for your prayers for the world. You never know when YOUR world and YOUR prayers will collide!

Mary