Last weekend, the kids were home and we ended up at my father-in-law’s house on Sunday afternoon so they could visit their Gramps. He’s 90 and has some health issues and they try to visit anytime they’re home. He lives on a lot of acreage out in the country, so we ended the day with a walk along the edge of the woods with the dogs. Davis led us through the reptile conducive area using a snake-killing hoe as his staff so I called him Moses as he led us through, what felt like, the desert with me griping about thirst and the heat the whole way. It all seemed very Exodus-like in ways. It was hot as blue blazes, incredibly humid, and I was dripping sweat, but it was nice to be out enjoying nature with my people. 

Well, the next day, I woke up itching. I had small red bites all over my legs, my stomach, back, and, yes, even my derrière. It was bad and there were so many of them. I knew immediately that I’d gotten into red bugs on our walk. Some people call them red bugs- some call them chiggers. Either way, they’re just another evil tormentor of the horrid summer months. After a quick group text, it was determined that I was the only one who was victimized by the wicked little assailants. I’m always a crowd favorite among the mosquito population as well.

I don’t know if any of you, city dwellers, have ever had red bug bites, but I can’t even describe the itch to you. It’s the kind of itching that makes you want to claw yourself right down to the bone and it goes on and on and on for days and days. They also particularly like to bite on tucked away folds of skin. So, let’s say, someone has red bug bites on her derrière and, say, she goes to the grocery store and the bites on the tucked away folds of her derrière start to itch. Well, I can tell you it presents a real dilemma in how to handle that in public. I mean, there are these unspoken public itching/scratching rules to which we all try to adhere, but the red bug will cause one to question the real importance of those boundaries. I may or may not have waited until I was on an aisle all alone and given the people watching the security cameras something to talk about. 

Well, Davis had always told me a little dab of bleach on red bug bites was the neutralizing answer to their itch and then I read about Vick’s vapor rub being the key. Of course, I had some hydrocortisone cream and essential oils, too. You can imagine how I smelled after a bleach bath and a slathering of vapor rub and a little tea tree oil. Like a railroad chemical spill, I tell you. 

Well, I’d get them all treated and the itching settled down and, the next thing I knew, an area would suddenly start itching like crazy. I’d get up and take care of it with some cream and, before long, another spot would start screaming for my attention. All of a sudden, I noticed one on my neck that I hadn’t seen before. I felt like the things were breaking out in every direction- getting redder by the minute- and I couldn’t get them all scratched fast enough. Here I am 4 days out and still scratching. 

Well, oddly, I feel like that’s how my intercessory prayer list has been lately. My goodness, there’s been a lot. One thing I’ve prayed over will pass and a couple of new ones will pop up. Those get settled down and here’s another and another and another. From every direction. All significant. Many urgent. Demanding my attention. And impossible to ignore. 

Just this week, one of my oldest and dearest friends had very serious surgery. I’ve been praying for that day for a while. A local 5 year old boy wandered off from his house, a couple of days ago, and was missing all night. I think the whole town was praying about that. Both turned out well but, as soon as one matter of prayer is settled, it seems like there are so many more waiting to take its place. In the last week, I prayed for a garden wedding to be spared from the rain. A family to find their missing pet. A good night’s sleep for someone who really needed it. A family friend with Covid and risk factors. A sick child I saw on Facebook. The state of our country. A friend who’s struggling with grief. Goodness, we pray about all kinds of things. Life. Death. Grief. Understanding. Peace. Mercy. Healing. Unity. Provision. Forgiveness. Protection. Comfort. Revival. Reassurance. Restoration. 

I wonder if you feel like your prayer list has been extra crowded, too. Like a mass of concerns coming at you and constantly calling your attention to the need for prayer. Sometimes, God answers just like we hoped He would. We thank Him and feel He’s heard us and watched out for our good. Sometimes, we don’t get the answer we wanted and it’s tempting to believe He’s withholding His goodness from us. But, we trust that He sees the whole picture and knows what’s best and what we’ve asked of Him might not always be His best for us. And, other times, we don’t feel like He’s heard us at all, but we know He has a good reason for the wait and His timing is always perfect. So, we keep on praying because we’re supposed to pray about everything. All the time. Even if it seem too trivial to bother God with. Even if He doesn’t appear to be listening. Even if we can’t understand the reason behind His answer. Even if He makes us wait in silence and confusion. He is still God and He is still good. And we can trust Him. Even then. 

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  I Thessalonians 5:16-18

“In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” Psalm 5:3

“Do not worry about anything: instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.” Philippians 4:6

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Don’t forget to say your prayers and have a great weekend!

JONI