Sheltered in Prayer

By Pat Schutrop

In my early years, I lived on a farm in North Dakota. I think people assumed because I lived on a farm, I would know a lot about the nature of farming. In reality, I couldn’t wait to move away from the farm and into the big city. Since then, I have grown to appreciate my early roots.

One of my memories is that there were rows of trees called shelterbelts that would break the wind from blowing the seeds of grain or the topsoil from the fields uncovering the newly planted grain. There was security in knowing the shelter belt of trees would break the strong winds from bringing destruction.

In many ways, the prayers prayed by followers of Jesus are a shelterbelt for what God is doing. Our prayers build walls of protection around seeds of the gospel and provide shade for the weary. Our prayers build a wall of protection around what God is wanting to do in people’s lives and communities. For example, I was part of an intercessory team praying for Taiwan and I vividly saw, as we interceded, a wall being raised up around this island nation protecting God’s purposes. In His sovereignty, God used us, weak vessels that we are.

We can trust the Holy Spirit to carry our prayers to defend and protect those he entrusts us to

pray for. We can stand strong and courageous because Christ is our defender. Believers in

God’s army wait for him to send his word to equip us as we seek him for strategy.

The days are getting darker and now more than ever, we need to wait for his Spirit to direct us.

Lord, we ask for sensitivity and ears to hear the sound of your wind rustling within us to move us out when you call. Help us to recognize the power in our prayers that offer shelter for loved

ones, our communities, our governments. We know we can’t do this in our own strength. We

wait on the One who equips us for what is ahead. Let us not step out of turn but wait for You,

Lord. And then, at Your order, we go out to battle in prayer. Amen.

Psalm 18:32-39

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my

feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me.