Nov
22
2013
A Piece Of Plastic Wrap
Posted in Prayer 4 Comments
I was talking to a friend who is moving at the end of next month.
She is ambiguous about the move.
She knows it is a good thing but she doesn’t like change very much.
She is a wife and mother of two boys.
It is not a far away move but it is in another school district.
Leaving friends, leaving the known for the unknown.
Many would say, It’s not like you’re moving to the other side of the world.
Cold comfort; I understand her feelings completely.
Some people welcome change, putting it on with ease like their clothes in the morning.
Some people bristle at change; it is not their friend.
To them, change is not the adventure everyone says it is.
Change is inevitable; often growth comes from change.
After I left her, I thought of something I used to do for my children.
How I wish I had remembered to share it with her.
I thought of her oldest child who will miss his friends the most.
I thought of her, the one who has to keep it all together, even if she is secretly skeptical.
I want to wrap her in prayer.
I want her to know that she is being wrapped in prayer.
There are always uncertainties in life.
For a young child, it may be the first day of school or making a new friend.
It may be a difficult test, or an oral report in front of the class.
All children have their “I’m just not sure” moments.
You desperately want to be small enough to fit in their pocket and ease their uncertainty.
I thought of a way to let my children know that more than my thoughts were with them.
I cut a small piece of plastic wrap and folded it into a square.
I gave it to the one who was unsure, no matter the reason.
It was small enough to fit in their pocket.
All they had to do was reach in and find it there.
I’m wrapping you in prayer today!
Those simple words and a small square of plastic wrap.
The prescription for unsure days; the prescription for every day!
It was a visual object that helped solidify a truth.
I couldn’t go with them, but my prayers always could.
I couldn’t give them personal words of encouragement.
But the Lord Jesus was interceding for them before the Father.
One little piece of plastic wrap.
One large Truth.
On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for His disciples.
Not just the disciples who were with Him, but also the disciples that would come after.
The disciples that would come to believe because of the Word preached to them.
Jesus, in essence was praying for us as well.
Jesus’ prayer always comforts me; He is still praying and interceding for us today.
I have revealed You to those whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed Your word. Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You. For I gave them the words You gave Me and they accepted them. They know with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those You have given Me, for they are Yours. All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine. And glory has come to Me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave Me. None of them has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. I am coming to You now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of My joy within them. I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify Myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone, I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message. (John 17:6-20)
Jesus knew that life would be hard and be full of uncertainties.
Jesus didn’t pray to take us out of the world, He prayed for protection from the evil one.
Jesus prayed for His disciples to be sanctified (made holy) by the Truth.
His Word is Truth.
It is as if Jesus places a piece of plastic wrap in our hands.
I’m wrapping you in prayer today.
Tuck that in the pocket of your heart.
Wow. So perfect for me today
Debbie,
I’m so glad…God gets all the glory.
Gina
Wow Gina!! You brought tears to my eyes..Your amazing
Jen,
I’m glad you were blessed.
Gina