“I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as
night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.” – 2 Timothy 1:3
On the morning of 24 May 1985, Kent Lenard awoke at his home in Lake Moses,
Washington at 1 am. He became aware that his missionary son John and his family
in South Africa needed his prayer. “PRAY! The command I sensed was urgent”
recalls Kent.
Fully awake, Kent began to pray not knowing his sons situation, “Please Lord,
help John and Sandy and their girls, protect them if they are in danger.”
Meanwhile in South Africa, John and Sandy were with their two daughters driving
through the bush to photograph elephants. John parked and left his family in the
car while he explored a trail. He saw an older bull elephant and began
photographing it. John then began hearing a “low rumbling” that reminded him of
thunder. He began having an uneasy feeling and headed back to the car.
Suddenly, John spotted 200 hundred huge, thirsty elephants stampeding toward his
car. The rumbling that he had heard was their running for miles across the dry
bush. Racing through John’s mind were the pictures that he has seen of uprooted
trees and overturned cars in the path of angry elephants. He recalled a seasoned
missionary telling him to never stand between thirsty elephants and their source
of water, because they become violent if their access is threatened. But right
in the middle of the path to their water stood John and the car with his family
in it.
Hearing his family’s screams, John raced for his car and reached the door just
as the first of the elephants was upon him. He jumped in and slammed the door
and immediately the car was engulfed in dust. Miraculously, the elephants passed
on both sides of the car, only scraping the bumpers and rocking it. When the
last of the elephants passed and the dust settled, John told his family that
someone must be praying for them, because it was a miracle that they were not
crushed. After almost an hour of prayer, Kent sensed the Lord’s peace and closed
in prayer saying “Thank You Lord I know that John’s family is in your hands” and
he went back to sleep.
Is someone on your mind or heart? Pray for them. Today in prayer, pray for those
who Christ has brought to your mind and heart.
“Intercessory prayer might be defined as loving our neighbor on our knees.” —
Charles Brent
God’s Word: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all
of you, I always pray with joy” – Philippians 1:3-4
By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2006, Devotional E-Mail DEVOTIONS IN 1 AND 2 TIMOTHY
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