Unsung Heroes: Compassion of Philip — Tuesday
1 Timothy 2:1
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. (NLT)
When my daughter was 11 months old, she got extremely sick. We took her to the doctor, and he immediately sent her to UK’s Kentucky Children’s Hospital for testing and care. For three days, she became sicker and sicker. She was dehydrated and feverish. She was bright red and clearly miserable. And nothing the doctors were doing seemed to help.
I remember praying with everything I had. I prayed at night when I couldn’t sleep. I prayed throughout the day when she was getting taken care of. My wife prayed non-stop. My friends and family prayed. We prayed because that’s all we could do. Eventually, the doctors figured out what was going on and diagnosed her with Kawasaki Disease. It took them a while to figure it out because it’s very rare and because she doesn’t fit the typical demographic for it. Thankfully, they were able to treat her, and she didn’t have any long-lasting effects.
It's been 18 years since she was in the hospital, and we’ve had plenty of things to pray about since then. But it’s hard to remember too many times when we’ve prayed harder than those days at UK. We loved her, and we desperately wanted nothing more than to see her healed and saved.
We all have friends and family who have not yet experienced the love and grace of Jesus. And I’m often convicted about how I pray for them. Do I pray for them with the same desperation and conviction I had when I prayed for my daughter in the hospital? Not always. Yet how much more do they need our prayers? I would have prayed every day for a year if that’s what it took for my daughter to be healed. Who in your life desperately needs your prayers today?
Tuesday’s Reflection
Take a few minutes to write down 2-3 names of people who don’t know Jesus. Starting today, lift each person up in prayer. Commit to praying for them daily, by name.