What if ...?

In recent weeks, I have learned the following:

1. A great awakening has taken place in Haiti in the aftermath of January's earthquake. The president called for a national time of prayer and fasting and cancelled his country's annual Mardi Gras celebration. The result was that over 3000 people gave their lives to Christ including over 100 Voodoo priests. It was reported that over 1 million Haitians hit the streets and began praying and weeping for their country and asking God for His mercy upon them.

2. I spoke with a man who is 87 years old who for years has had a prayer ministry of teaching the Lord's saints to pray around the world. This man still awakens at 4 AM each day to spend time with the Lord and seek His face.

3. I received a copy of a letter from a missionary in Zimbabwe who ministers to a little reached people group there who wrote of a lost man who died and stayed dead for 24 hours and then God raised him from the dead to serve and testify to the Lord Jesus Christ. He also told of a miracle salvation of a man who had a vision the night before and was ready to receive Christ without a gospel presentation when the missionary arrived at his home.

The man being raised from the dead in Zimbabwe was actually the second one I have known about in the last year, as my wife met a worship leader in Egypt last year who had just been raised from the dead weeks before she arrived.

These events have caused me to ask myself some questions and have pushed me to seek more personal time with the Lord in prayer. For the first time in my life, when I learn of someone who has died or is on the verge of death, I am asking the Lord if He wants this person to be raised from the dead. I have never prayed that though I believed the Lord could do it. But as He has said in His word --- you have not because you ask not.

Here are a few "what ifs" to consider. I hope you will ponder them. May they affect you in the way they have begun to affect me:

* What if we waited for a mega disaster to strike before we determined to pray as they've done in Haiti?

* What if we averted disaster like what Haiti experienced in January by praying as they are doing there now?

* What if we prayed for our president as they've done in Haiti?

* What if we had a president who asked for personal prayer and willingly led the nation to shut down for a few days to pray and fast for our country?

* What if we humbled ourselves and prayed and sought His face and turned from our wicked ways as the Body of Christ and as individuals?

* What if our streets were filled with praying people who cried out for our nation and lost souls?

* What if God just "suddenly" showed up and changed numbers of people's lives in a flash of time?

* What if God had to "shake" His church in America as He shook the earth in Haiti in January?

* What if the church fervently cried out like Moses did for the Lord to "show us His glory?" (Exodus 33:18)

* What if the church in America would dare to be still long enough to "know that He is God?" (Psalm 46:10)

* What if we learned what it means to "wait upon the Lord?" (Psalm 27:14 & Isaiah 30:18)

* What if ... (you fill in the blank)?