For Saeed

I am convinced of three things:

1. Prayer is powerful.
2. Praying with pure motives is the only way prayer can really be effective.
3. Honesty with God is crucial.

If you haven't heard of the American Pastor Saeed Abedini, please allow me to fill you in. He is an American and servant of Christ who founded an orphanage in Iran. He has been arrested and sentenced to 8 years in prison. Prisons in Iran are not like prisons in the United States. Iranian prisons are harsh and horrible places. Days ago he was transferred to one of the most violent and brutal prisons in all of the world. Saeed has a wife and two children in the United States. Stop and think a moment, what if that was your husband? Alive, but cold, hungry and likely being beaten and tortured. This could go on for eight years, or he could be executed or suffer to death. Can you even fathom the pain and agony his family is going through? Knowing he is alive and hurting and not being able to physically rescue him? Can you even stomach the thought? I can not. It makes me sick just writing about his story.

God brought Saeed's situation to my attention through a newsletter from Sumaritan's purse. I couldn't shake it off. I couldn't read the plea for prayer and think, "oh that's awful" and continue on with my day. I ached for him, and for his family. I prayed, but not fervently. I thought, what can I do? Surely God has a purpose for this man and nothing I pray or ask can change that plan. For some reason though, the Holy Spirit wouldn't let me let it go. Some time went by and I heard about him again. Thousands gathered in Washington DC for a prayer vigil to urge the President (of the US) to bring this up at a meeting he was having with the Iranian president.

Two days ago, his wife painfully announced her husband had been moved to the most brutal prison in Iran. So it would seem God is not hearing prayers. Wouldn't it? I was troubled, deeply. I again folded my hands and said "God, what can I do? Show me how to pray, lead me. Tell me what I can do. Should I share his story on facebook? Should I write about him? What can I do, Lord!"

Today Saeed's wife asked for Christians all around the world to take an hour to pray for Saeed. Can you believe that? That was it! That is what God wanted me to do! That was the way to help Saeed, his family and everyone who Saeed comes in contact with. I was still troubled though, I didn't know what to pray for. I know that Saeed's life whether he be released now, in eight years or is martyred for God is in the hands of our Lord. No matter what God chooses to do, Saeed's suffering will not be in vein. His actions are going to have a big impact on people in Iran, the US and around the world. His story, his life and his suffering will be apart of history. God graciously is allowing me to be apart of that through prayer. You can be apart of this historic time, too. If every Christian were to pray, if all of us where to share his story, imagine the effects it would have! We would not only come together as the body of Christ through prayer but we would be making a huge splash! We would be kicking evil right in the face. We would be standing up for Christ. We can help, maybe not physically but spiritually we can which, is more powerful anyway!

So friends, I urge you to take time to pray for Pastor Saeed Abedini and his wife and children. If you don't know what to pray for, here are a few things to consider:

1. Strength and courage for Saeed to continue to preach the gospel to his fellow prisoners and captors. Ask the Lord to send His angels to be with Saeed and the prisoners in that camp. Pray that the Holy Spirit touch everyone Saeed come's in contact with, including his captors. Pray that they would have open ears to listen and softened hearts so that they might be able to accept God's message of enduring love. Pray that God give strength to Saeed each day, to be able to do what God has for him.

2. Strength for Saeed's wife to continue to proclaim the gospel. How easy would it be for her to throw her hands up and scream at God for not allowing her husband to be released? Instead, she continually praises God and has faith that He will use her husband to teach the guards and prisoners about Jesus. She believes he was moved there to do just that; to proclaim Jesus' good news to people who probably haven't seen day light in who knows how long. They are hurting people, as well as people who have committed horrific crimes. Yet God loves them enough to use Saeed to reach them!  Pray that God give her grace, love and strength to make it through each day and be able to care for her children.

3. Ask God to show you what you can do to help Saeed. Ask the Lord to strengthen your prayer life and relationship with Him through this.

4. Pray that Christians world wide would hear Saeed's story and be inspired to pray for him, and make some noise for Jesus! We will not be silenced, Saeed will not be silenced. We will proclaim the name of Jesus until He comes back! Then every mouth will confess that He is God.

In the beginning of this message I said I was sure of three things. First, that prayer is powerful. I wish I could have been there in DC, to see thousands of Christians pray for one man. What an incredible sight that would have been. I was reading through Philipians and while Paul was in chains he said he prayed. He prayed for others and he prayed that he might be able to fulfill his purpose. If Paul thought prayer was important, so should we. Again, I ask you to think about what could happen if all of us prayed for this man and his family? Pray that God receive the glory, lives would be touched and the Lord's plan be fulfilled. Miracles do happen, and God is a good God.

Second, I am sure we must pray with pure motives or our prayers can not be effective. I want Saeed to come home, as I am sure all of us do. Yet, I feel God tugging on my heart. Should I want him to be released more than I want triumph for God and as many lives touched as possible? Do I want God's plan which, is crafted with an eternal perspective or do I want my plan to prevail? I want God's plan to prevail, and I guess I can hope that includes a safe return for Pastor Saeed.

Lastly, be honest with God. I told Him, I don't know what to pray for! He showed me, through reading the bible and through Saeed's wife asking for all Christians to come together in communal prayer. He answered my prayer, because I was honest and had pure motives. I wanted to help, I just didn't know how. He is so gracious and says we can come to His throne with confidence when we pray! Be honest with your Savior.

For more information on Pastor Saeed Abedini and the Be Heard Project please see:

http://beheardproject.com/saeed

Love to you all,

B