Lauren Gaskill

I remember I was playing Roller Coaster Tycoon the morning it happened.

I remember hearing dishes fall to the floor as my mother stood in the kitchen, speechless over what she watched on the TV. I remember asking lots of questions and not understanding the severity of what was happening. I remember thinking it was a movie. I remember being scared and running into the fold of my mother’s embrace.

But on Sept. 11, 2001, I also remember our family immediately bowed our heads in prayer for everyone involved in the 9/11 attacks, for this nation, and for our world.

14 years later I am amazed at how quickly many of us — including myself — have forgotten to pray for this nation and the world. Though trouble surrounds us just as much as it did then, many of us are silent, or worse, indignant.

In the last few years, amid new terrorist threats and passed legislation, I’ve heard many Christians say, “this nation is going to hell in a handbasket.” When I hear these kinds of statements I cannot help but acknowledge that yes, these do remain dark and difficult times for the United States, especially for Christians. And yet at the same time, I am convicted because in my heart I know that if this nation is going to hell, as many say it is, then what are we doing to stop it from getting there?

We can complain about our nation’s circumstances, but if we lack faith or fail to pray, we are of no good because we are not contributing to a solution.

Friends, let us not forget the power of prayer. On this day, Sept. 11, 2015, may we remember to pray fervently for this great nation and our world. Always. Let us remember that we have the power of the Holy Spirit, who is on our side. Always. Let us remember to be the loving hands and feet of Jesus Christ that we are called to be. Always.

And let us not forget that God is in control. Ask God to intercede on behalf of this nation. Ask God to turn hearts back to Him. Ask God to bring peace where there is chaos and love where there is hate. Ask God to strengthen our churches, families and friendships. Ask God to continue to help us become more like Jesus.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14 (NIV)

Last week a team of Australian animal welfare officers discovered a giant wooly sheep on the outskirts of Canberra. The merino sheep not only looked distraught, but it also struggled to walk under the weight of its enormous coat (it’s estimated he had five years of wool on him!).

Turns out some breeds of sheep, like merinos, never shed their wool and have to be sheared in order to survive. In the end, it took shearers 45 minutes to remove 88 pounds of wool from the overloaded animal, which has now been named Chris.

Whenever I see sheep, I think about our Savior, the greatest Shepherd and how many times he refers to you and I as His sheep throughout scripture. That is why, after hearing this story, I couldn’t help but notice the striking similarities between Chris and you and I. We have much in common with Chris, the overgrown sheep struggling to survive.

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.” Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

Similar to merino sheep, which need a shearer to survive, we need a Shepherd to care for us and lead us through life.

When hope is lost and our spirit is downcast, we need a Savior to give us a name, just like the shearers gave Chris a name.Read More