During this crisis, my wife and I have been challenged by the simplicity of our job to pray for our nation. At the beginning of all of this, only the worship team was able to be in the prayer room and Theresa and I were stuck at home praying with three screaming boys three years old and younger. To say it was difficult to actually do our job would be the understatement of the year. We would turn on the web stream sit on the couch with our Bibles in hand ready to go and then Jeremiah would bring me a toy and Micah would start crying because he needed something. At one point during it all Caleb came to me with passion in his voice, “Where can we go? What can we do?” I think my two-year-old summed up how we are all feeling right now.
In those moments, all I had was a weak cry to God, “Jesus turn this thing around, have mercy on America, please bring comfort to those people who are dying alone in the ICU right now in New York.” It was all so weak, but it was real! Now, the prayer room has open up to just a few staff keeping their Sacred Trust at a time. We have completely turned our schedule on its head to be in there when others are not but it has actually been fun! For the first time since having babies Theresa is able to have two 6-hour slots of unbroken prayer time and I am embracing the weekends praying when the room is mostly empty and when Mike Bickle has asked for special help. I have loved leading prayer. Because so much has been pent up inside whenever I get on the microphone I am like a fire hydrant throwing out a month and a half of all that has been inside! I have been praying for the church that we would have a revelation of Jesus in this time of limited social interaction and busyness—that the things of this world would grow dim in the light of His glory and grace!
On Thursday and Friday, I will be heading back to Hope City to lead worship with a very small team wearing a mask at all times (I’m still not sure how I am going to sing with a mask on?) It will be fun to see my friends and those recovering drug addicts who have endured through this difficult time and are still standing on the wall of intercession for freedom for themselves, their friends and family. Please pray for protection as I go into the mission field in our backyard.
I know in all of this, even in our weakness, God hears the prayers of the Baldwins and it matters to Him that we keep doing our job for the nation. Even in our distraction during those few weeks stuck at home, He heard our voices and mercy has already gone forth from His throne because of our prayers in the middle of America.
