The Circle-drawer

“As the Deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalms. 42: 1-2)

“The sound of the Shofar could be heard coming from the wall surrounding Jerusalem, echoing across the sun-scorched valley. The blowing of the trumpet heralded great public distress and was used to summon the people. It was the 1^st century B.C. and severe drought was threatening the very existence of the city. So the city elders called for the people to gather outside the city walls. Then they sent for Honi.

    Honi was an old man who, after this day, became known as the Circle-Drawer, because when he was summoned, the elders asked him: ‘Pray that rain may fall.’ Honi prayed but nothing happened. So he drew a circle around himself in the dust of the ground, and prayed again. ‘O Lord of the world, Your children have turned their faces to me….I swear by Your great name that I will not stir from here until You have pity on Your children.’

   The rain began to fall, one large drop at a time. But Honi protested. ‘Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain that will fill the cisterns, pits, and caverns.’ In answer to his prayer, the heavens opened and the waters descended in a violent gully-washer that threatened to flood the city. So once again, Honi pleaded. ‘Not for such rain have I prayed, but for a rain of goodwill, blessing and graciousness.’ It is said, and recorded by the Jewish historian Josephus, that in response to Honi’s third prayer, a long soaking rain began to fall that ended the three-year drought. Honi had prevailed in prayer.” (The Daniel Prayer, chapter 7, Anne Graham Lotz)

We serve a prayer-answering God. Cry out to him today to prepare our hearts for the new year that our Lord has given to us.

1. Pray for our national and church leaders that they will be guided you your Holy Spirit and will have the wisdom that comes from God and not of this world..

 2. Pray for our hearts to be tender to the things of God.

3. Help us to be faithful in prayer daily for our loved ones that do not know you as there Savior and for others that You put in our path.

4. Pray for marriages to be strengthened and restored.