Prayer In The Face of Risky Behaviour

Tuesday September 8, 2020

Early in the pandemic the COVID-19 cases and deaths were heavily skewed to the elderly and particularly those living in long term care facilities. As the months have moved along, here in British Columbia we have seen those number change and for the past number of weeks the highest number of cases has been in younger people – mostly the result of gatherings that have been large without safe measures being practiced. In some cases, with complete disregard for their own health and safety as well as those they would put at risk with their contact in the community, these individuals chose to do what they wanted to do when they wanted to do it and because of their choices many have gotten sick and some have lost their lives to the virus.

Jesus Christ was in that 30-39 year age bracket when He made choices and behaved in ways that put His life at risk – and in fact resulted in His death. But, where we see the contrast is in, of course, in Jesus motivation and the result of His seemingly risky behaviour. Listen to these amazing words from the Gospel of John chapter 10.

I am the

good shepherd;

I know my sheep

and my sheep

know me—

just as the Father

knows me and

I know the Father—

and I lay down

my life for the sheep.

John 10:14-15

The reason my Father

loves me is that

I lay down my life—

only to take it up again.

No one takes it from me,

but I lay it down of my

own accord. I have

authority to lay it down

and authority

to take it up again.

This command I received

from my Father.”

John 10:17-18

Wonderful truth we can give thanks for today. Let’s do that.

Thank you Jesus for always standing for truth, rather than acting in spite of the facts. Thank you Jesus for making choices on behalf of others, not with disregard to the consequences of others. Jesus, You put the lives of others before Your own rather than doing what was easiest and most pleasant for You in the moment regardless of the impact on others. How thankful we are that Your behaviour choices and Your ultimate death resulted in life for all those who would put their trust in You and victory over the grave – including those who die these days as a result of the virus spread that results from the poor choices of other people.

For love of us and for love of Your Heavenly Father, You endured the cross and died for our sins so we could have eternal life. We can be grateful for many things on any day, but nothing even comes close to this.

For the wages of sin

is death, but

the gift of God

is eternal life

in Christ Jesus

our Lord.

Romans 6:23

Thank You today for the gift of free will and choice to follow Your heart and do the will of the Father for ourselves. Your death and resurrection makes the power we need to overcome sin and death ours when we put our trust in You.

I also pray that

you will understand

the incredible greatness

of God’s power for us

who believe him.

This is the same

mighty power

that raised Christ

from the dead and

seated him in

the place of honor

at God’s right hand

in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 1:19-20

We pray today that You will help us choose and act with the same loving surrender to Your Heavenly Father’s will that You demonstrated when You voluntarily laid down Your life for us. Our inconveniences are so tiny compared to how You inconvenienced Yourself for us. Help us to understand and to live when You taught us.

If any of you wants

to be my follower,

you must give up

your own way,

take up your cross daily,

and follow me.

If you try to hang on to

your life, you will lose it.

But if you give up your life

for my sake, you will save it.

And what do you benefit

if you gain the whole world