“But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:32
In this passage, Jesus is praying for Simon Peter and what a wonderful reassurance that should be for us; when we pray in the name of Jesus, He intercedes for us. This was a time when satan was seeking to separate Peter from Christ; it happens to us too. When we see something more exciting in this world such as looking at a screen, than holding our eyes upon His cross; we need to be reminded that He is still in our presence; it is us that are turning away.
Too often we don’t know how much and how often we have been blessed, rescued, gifted, healed or been comforted by our Savior’s prayers. When we reach the end of our earthly journey and are brought into our Heavenly home we will hopefully be able to realize all of the times He has touched our lives and we will have an eternal time to praise Him.
On this day when I took this picture only one of the eighteen faces turned away when I asked if I could take their photo. Vodou followers are taught that photos will capture or take away some of their spiritual power. When people turn away or cover their faces it usually means they are still living in fear of the vodou priest. I am pretty sure that seventeen of these children attending the Lutheran School in St. Marc pray for you daily. They ask their Savior to bless your journey, they give thanks for you and rejoice for the blessings that you have provided for them; a meal at their school every day. That day when you stand at the feet of your Savior, look around you and see their joy filled faces next to you as they join in praising our Savior. I would like to close this devotion with the words from the first verse of the hymn ‘While yet the Morn is Breaking’ which was written by Johannes Muehlmann in 1613.
“While yet the morn is breaking, I thank my God once more, beneath whose care awaking, I find the night is o'er, I thank Him that He calls me to life and health anew; I know, whate'er befalls me, His care will still be true.”
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay