On October 7, 2023, terrorists kidnapped my two friends, along with many others. No one in their community had a personal relationship with God through Christ, so when this tragedy occurred, all they had were thoughts.
“I’m thinking about you at this difficult time” sounds nice, but it does nothing to help anyone. As believers, we have direct access to the throne room of the King, who rules all nations.
That is why only praying to a mighty God who controls everything affects change in these situations. We rallied around these friends and asked Christians everywhere to pray for their release and salvation. As a result, only these two people, a mother and her teenage daughter, were released in the first two weeks. As of this writing, most other hostages have yet to return home.
As Moses proclaimed in Exodus 15, God holds the universe in the palm of His hand. He has promised to guide His redeemed people home. Our God is powerful and in control. Since God oversees our circumstances, safety, and salvation, we can have confidence and peace, even amid the trials.
Think about how mighty God is. Nothing is impossible for Him. Instead of thinking about your worries and problems, commit them to Him. Praying to the only One who can intervene helps.
Joy Nevin Axelson is a Christian author of several published poems and works of nonfiction. She graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and from the University of California, Santa Barbara, respectively. She also attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and North Park University. In addition to being an author, she is the translation coordinator for GlobalFingerprints, the EFCA’s child sponsorship branch. Her translations of training materials are used at twelve international sites. She enjoys traveling with her husband and two older children. Check out her website at www.joynevinaxelson.weebly.com.