Welcome to The Turnaround’s 52 Days of Prayer!
Introduction
Welcome to day 22. Over the next few days we’ll be taking some time to understand what our children are up against in the culture. It’s not comfortable to look closely at the desperate situation our children find themselves in, but it’s important as believers for us to open our eyes to the pain and needs of those around us. As we become more aware of these needs, we, like Jesus, can have compassion on those around us and act to help them.
Insight
Over the past 60+ years, God has slowly been pushed out of American culture. Similar to what we see Hosea outlining about Israel, America as a whole has rejected God and chased after other gods like power, status, sex, and money. Because of the rejection of God and His design, especially for sexuality, we see a massive increase in divorce rates (if couples are actually getting married in the first place), fatherless homes, and abortions. The effect on our children has been profound. They’ve become collateral damage in our personal pursuit of happiness. They’re growing up surrounded by broken relationships as their only examples in both real life and media and entertainment. As a result, their chances of having healthy relationships themselves are slim.
What we’re facing now has happened before. Again and again throughout history we’ve seen the weakest in the community suffer as countries reject God and pursue their own selfish desires. That’s why how the children are doing is a gauge of any society’s health. Our country’s children being harmed, neglected, and even destroyed through abortion should make us stop and take some real time to think about our direction as a nation.
So what can we do? It starts with awareness. First, we need to open our eyes to what our society has become, and ask God to soften our hearts toward the hurting. Then, we will be ready to take action within our own spheres of influence to help the hurting and bring the knowledge of God back into the culture.
Turnaround Focus
Week four is a powerful week where we want to focus on the hard topic children are facing. Today we want to pray specifically for broken homes and the loss of the sanity of marriage.
Turnaround Questions
This topic is sobering. It’s not comfortable to think about. Do you find yourself shying away when you’re confronted by our children’s desperate plight?
It’s easy to shield ourselves from other people’s pain. But as believers we’re called to have compassion on the hurting, and to take action to help them. What can you do to take to heart what our children are facing?
What first step can you take to help bring the knowledge of God back into the culture?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, open our eyes to the pain and destruction the children of this country are facing. Help us be a people who defend the weak and helpless once more, and live selflessly for the good of others instead of pursuing our own selfish desires. Don’t let Satan take another inch of ground, and help us as your people take back the territory Satan has captured. Let us return to you, and walk in justice, mercy, and humility. It’s in Jesus’ name that we pray, Amen.
