Where Jon (sometimes) blogs

[Note: I originally published this on a different blog when I was in China, then decided to take it down for various reasons. I’m going to put it up again here, and I’d love to hear your own thoughts or comments.]

My team and I were discussing prayer the other night when an interesting point came up. I want to pray for the salvation of those I know and care about—for the lost all around me. That’s a good thing to do, for sure. As followers of Jesus we’re called to do that, in fact. As someone whose heart aches and sometimes breaks for those around him, I long to do that and to see those prayers answered. But what happens when they seemingly go unanswered—is our Father in Heaven not listening? Isn’t His heart for those who are far from Him? Where are you, God? Save your people!

I have a friend here in China who I desperately want to see come to know the Lord… I see potential in her. I see possibilities. I see her need and her longing, and I pray hard for her to come to know her Maker and Redeemer in a saving way. I look around my campus and I see ten thousand students, most of whom are far from Him—living for and believing only in themselves. My heart breaks for them and aches for revival. And yet I don’t even know their names. I even forget the names of my own students sometimes. There are days when I forget about my close friend—I don’t even think about her. She lives down the hall from me.

How much more does the Father—their Creator, the one who formed these loved ones in their mother’s wombs and knows each hair on their head and worry in their heart—care about them and love them and long for a restored relationship with them? Who am I to say, “Where are you, God?” when His heart breaks for His lost children. Doesn’t He know what’s best? Isn’t His timing perfect? Isn’t His heart so much bigger than mine, and His wisdom so much deeper?

These words are also a great comfort to me (they are Romans 8:22-28 in the ESV translation):

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

These are humbling and comforting thoughts, and thoughts that make me long to know God’s heart even more. And I suppose that, in the end, is why we pray.