Prayer

"Come to me and I will make you fishers of men," Jesus said to his fishermen apostles. 

The lake is full of fish; the nets are ready.  The fishing poles are baited.  The temperatures are perfect.  The Lord has need for you.

Think I am going a little batty?  We watched Billy Graham last night (we'd taped it for a later viewing) and he is still every bit as genuine and compelling as he ever was.  He moved me to tears within the first 10 minutes and several times thereafter, especially when he talks about what Jesus has done for us and how much he loves us.  When he talks about forgiveness and belief, commitment.

The two people who were profiled in the special commemorating Graham's 95th birthday were so well spoken.  They explained their circumstances very clearly and it was obvious how much God healed them through their faith in Him.  They were lost and now they are found.

I am not much of a fan of rap music, but the rapper on the program is bringing the message of Jesus to the young who follow this form of music.  He is taking the music of some of the people to the people. 

Billy Graham is at peace.  He is ready to go home, but he wanted to give one last sermon.  He knows that the United States needs a spiritual reawakening and I think he was hoping upon hope that his message would resonate and would call people back.  And although sometimes I think differently, Graham doesn't see that we as a country are worse than we used to be.  He believes that because we know so much more about what goes on, it would seem that way.  He sees sin in all clarity, as though he is looking at a satellite view of the world and the pockets of sin covering the planet.  As a man who knew from an early age that the world would pull and tug at him and could be his undoing, he chose to keep himself in full devotion to his Lord to the exclusion of all of the noise.  His message has never wavered; his words are so often the same.  It's kind of like John the Baptist, a voice crying out in the desert, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord."  He calls for repentance, for a turning away from sin.

One of my favorite hymns is "Save Us Oh Lord,"  by Rev. Bob Dufford, SJ

Save us, O Lord, carry us back, rouse your power and come.
Rescue your people, show us your face, BRING US BACK.

O shepherd of Israel, hear us.  Return and we shall be saved.
Arise, O Lord, hear our cries, O Lord, BRING US BACK.

How long will you hide from your people?  We long to see your face.
Give ear to us.  Draw near to us.  Lord God of hosts.

Turn again; care for your vine; protect what your right hand has planted.
Your vineyards are trampled, uprooted and burned.  Come to us Father of might!

The Lord has need for you.  Listen for his call.