Leading People Back to God (2 Chronicles 19:4)
Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers.
—2 Chronicles 19:4
Is that not a great phrase? Jehoshaphat brought them back to the Lord. God used Jehoshaphat to bring people back to him. And as I read that phrase, I just think about people I know. I’m guessing you know, or maybe you might even be in this category, like people who have wandered from God, who once professed faith in God, once worshiped God, but now are far from God.
2 Chronicles 19:4 encourages us to pray for the restoration of others.
And 2 Chronicles 19:4 is interesting. Yet one more reminder in the Bible that God is in the business of bringing people back to himself. And I just want to lead us to pray in multiple ways based on that. Oh God, I pray for anyone who’s listening to this right now who has wandered from you, who once knew you, walked with you, was worshiping you, and for any number of reasons is far from you right now. God, I pray that they, even in listening to this right now, would hear you saying to their hearts, “I love you. I desire restoration of relationship with you.” God, thank you for pursuing us even when we run away from you. God, I pray. Please bring back.
Just pray. Even right now, bring people back to you. And God, we pray for others who are coming to our mind. Family members, friends, former church members who have wandered away from you. God, we pray. We intercede for them right now. Please bring them back. Bring them back to your mercy and your love and your grace and to joyful relationship with you. God, for your glory and for their good, we pray, please bring them back.
2 Chronicles 19:4 points us to God’s grace in restoring rebellious sinners.
And God, as we pray this, we pray that you would use our lives however you desire to bring them back. God, help us to love the people we’re praying for right now well. Help us to care for them. Lord, help us to pray faithfully for them. Help us to live in such a way that they see in us your love for them. God, we pray that you would use us like you used Jehoshaphat to bring people back to you, the Lord.
Oh, Jesus, I just, I think about the story you told of the prodigal son and the waiting father who just went running to his son. Thank you, God, for seeking after us, for saving us from our sin, even despite all our rebellion against you, for running to us. Oh, God, we pray for your restoration of people we know who have wandered from you to come back to you.
A Prayer for the Yagnob People
And God, we pray for people who’ve never had the chance to even hear about you. God, we pray for the Yagnob people of Tajikistan. We pray for 33,000 Tajik-speaking Yagnob, that they would be brought to you for the first time, Lord Jesus. God, we pray that you would bring the nations to yourself by your grace, and that you would bring many people who’ve wandered from you back to you by your grace.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
