the oasis blog

After a week of prayer and processing, I am still amazed at what God did at TheCall San Diego. This event was both physically and spiritually stretching. I know I was not alone in thinking, “How are we going to pray for 12 hours?” I knew this was going to be a challenge for me, let alone a high school student. I must say that I was thoroughly impressed by the level of maturity displayed by our students. They really stepped up.

You would think that there would be a great sense of personal accomplishment after an event like this, the feeling I somehow achieved something great by fasting and praying. I think the greatest lesson was not about my ability but rather my inability.

I don’t naturally pray for other people that I don’t know and care about.
I don’t naturally fast.
I don’t naturally even love God.

I think that the apostle John pens it well, “for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I can only truly intercede for a people if my heart is broken for them out of love; I can only truly love people through receiving the love of God and knowing his love for them.

I have always wanted to pray more, but seldom felt pressed to pray. Last Saturday, I felt pressed to pray, because the Lord began to break my heart with the things that break his. The Lord weeps over those caught in sin. The Lord weeps over sexual immorality. The Lord weeps over young people. He weeps over children. Rather than me praying out of obligation, I want to pray with the Lord’s heart. It sure is easier!

I was also overwhelmed by the purity of the prayer at the call. People were not there for a man or to be entertained; they were there to pray. What an incredible day, but even more, what an incredible call to live and pray differently.