June  2021　

　Dear Prayer Family

　I would be happy if the COVID-19 disaster had passed and I could freely meet with friends without any worries or go to see my children living far away.

　We had to live in an indeterminate state now, but the time would come when these inconvenient things are gone, and our normal lives will come back. 

　We learned a lot in the meantime, even though we were inconvenient. Now we knew how blessed our daily lives were and how comforting my family and friends were. I realized that I have been missing the greatness of praising and praying with brothers and sisters in the Lord.

　On the other hand, before this situation, I also reflect that I should have spent more time with my loved ones and showed more words and actions of love and compassion. So when the coronal disaster has passed, we will be able to develop better relationships with each other than before. You must be expecting so, too.

　In the fellowship with the Lord, do you sometimes want to cut your prayer time short or make it a formal one because you are too busy today? Christian prayer is not just a prayer of wishes. It is okay to confess your wishes to the Lord, but it should not be so all the time.  Prayer is time to turn our hearts to the Lord so that we can hear His deep will for us.

　When you pray, first of all, would you like to express your wishes? Or do you first remember the grace and thank the Lord? As a result, prayer time is a time of joy, not a err afflicted.

　Our prayers are a time of fellowship with the Lord and a time of communication with the Lord. It’s not be a way, Like idol worshippers, to order what you want. How the Lord answeres our prayer may depend on our relationship with the Lord. But the Lord is merciful and loves us. So even when our prayers are a little selfish, He may accept them. However, if we continue doing the same way in our prayer, we may not grow in our spirit, and we will become like selfish children. That’s the Lord concerns.

　We want to remember the prayers worthy of our grown children of the Lord, and our gratitude and joy for the overflowing grace.

　Young children and babies are inexperienced about time and can only think about it now. Baby don’t think that “my mother is busy now, but she will surely come to see how it is in a little more time. Babys think that mother will come as long as it continue to cry, saying that “I want it like this now” and “I am hungry now”. As you grow up, you will be able to learn to wait for your mom.

　A service team was sent to solve food shortages in developing countries. I have heard about the failure at that time. It tried to teach the technology of releasing the fry into the pond, feeding, taking care of it, raising it many times larger, and then using it as food. When there was a place, all the fish were gone at night. When they looked into it, people who couldn’t wait to grow up caught it and ate it while it was still small. It takes patience and experience to believe in a more wonderful promise that you don’t see yet and learn to move towards it. Faith teaches us that.

　Faith guarantees what we want and makes us sure of what is not visible.
　(Hebrews 11:1)

　We may ask and pray to God for anything. But at the same time, we must not forget to listen to God and listen patiently to God. Paul, the great evangelist, also learned it through hardship. 

　Three times I prayed to the Lord about this and asked him to take it away.
　But his answer was: “My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.” I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ’s power over me.(Corinthians 12:8-9)

　When we are aware of our weaknesses and seek help from God, our relationship with Him becomes even deeper. Then you will find that even a life with a lot of weaknesses actually means a lot.

　The same goes for our lives. So I have a ask for you. When you write a prayer request, try to draw in mind how you want to do it and how your way of life will change if this prayer is answered. And expect what good things start there. I’m sure you’ll find that God is so wonderful and gracious for you.

　Because you are loved.  

Rex Humberd Prayer Family　

John Sakurai