I love to watch cows chew their cud. Call me crazy but it’s relaxing, rhythmic, and a skill set that would cause serious TMJ issues in humans. I’m assuming most people have seen a cow chew her cud, but just in case you haven’t. The cow regurgitates the grass or hay from one of her stomachs, rolls her jaw from side to side while slowly chewing then re-swallows. I’ve never timed how long a cow can do this, but from all appearances a long time. According to the dairy association it also means she’s comfortable, relaxed and eating a good diet with enough fiber.
To the point here, I’m not a ruminant or cud chewer, but there’s another type of chew, God encourages us to do—meditation on His word. Write the word. Speak the word out loud. Sing the word, which by the way utilizes both sides of the brain. He provides the cud (His truth) and with the Holy Spirit as our aid we take a long, slow, rhythmic chew.
This intentional cogitation of the word and subsequent absorption into our spirits becomes a tool for generating the Holy Spirit’s truth into our prayers. Then praying His word brings it back to God our source who promises us to fulfill His word. Pretty good deal if you ask me.
This morning I chewed some cud, Ephesians 1:17-18 into prayer for children and anti-trafficking organizations. Here are some prayers and thoughts for you as you pray.
I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to law enforcement, the judicial system, aftercare, prevention and cyber patrol efforts the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know the path, the way the Lord will show to do his excellent work. Through deepening intimacy with the Lord, He will demonstrate his glory in creativity and strategies that will annihilate the plans of the enemy and lead to much freedom for many young people….
Continuing with verse 18, Father I pray that your light will illuminate the eyes of trafficked persons’ imagination, flooding them with light, until they experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in them, his holy called ones!
Each one of your sons and daughters is a precious treasure to you, Father. I thank you that you are flooding them with your light, exposing the darkness that is coming against them. Let them know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are not the guilty one. They carry NO shame in your eyes, but you grant them dreams and visions of the hope you have placed in their hearts. Let them not give up on their dreams. Keep them in their time of grief and trouble.
Bring those who will declare truth to them. Thank you that you hear every cry for help. We also thank you for liberation from this evil. Open the cell doors Papa, God.
In Jesus name, we ask.