My heart has been burdened lately to pray for the young people who have been coming to the shore with nothing on their mind. By that I mean that they are coming for what they believe is a big party without considering all the facts. They are, as I say remembering my youth, young and dumb.
While I was in high school, a fellow I was dating invited me to a party at a fraternity house at a nearby college. Looking back in my memory, everything about the place seemed very similar to hell.
There was smoke, bad smells, alcohol, drugs, doors opening and closing – behind which I was sure acts of debauchery were occurring, and music so loud I couldn’t hear the person next to me. I was terrified and asked to leave almost immediately. I obviously was very naïve at the time by not knowing what to expect.
Sometimes we humans are naive and sometimes we are just plain stupid. Despite what we have read and despite even attending funerals of friends our own age, when we are young, we believe we will live forever and can outrun and outjump anything that might try to harm us. Because I remember this feeling, I am burdened for the youth of today.
I know many young people who are absolutely marvelous and responsible, and I would trust them with ‘almost’ anything. That word almost is used because even the best of us, given too much freedom, can make unwise decisions – think of what could have occurred at that frat party.
When I read those few but marvelous feel-good stories about a young man making Eagle Scout, or the more recent story about the teen creating the military museum in his backyard, it warms my heart. I admire such wonderfully focused youth. But what we hear about more often are the unfocused youth and so they especially burden my heart.
The reason I keep these young people in my prayers is the hope for their future. This is why I have been praying that the local churches will be praying for these youth and listening to God for a way to address them and let them know that God has personally designed and made them for much better things.
I pray that each of us will find a way to minister to the youth in our circles who have not heard of the God that loves them. I also pray for those who are the ‘good kids’ because I do know temptation is everywhere and all of us need prayer and support to hinder us from taking that first wrong step.
With all my heart, I believe someone was praying for me as I grew up. I have no idea who it was or if it was Jesus Himself interceding to keep me from going over the edge, but when I look back, it was not chance or my own doing that I am still here; it is only by divine intervention.
Because I am familiar with making less-than-well-thought-out decisions in my youth, I pray that the younger generation will take a breath, think things through, and not just run into the temptations that are waiting to suck them in forever.
And because I personally know people recovered or recovering from various addictions, I can testify that it is easier to say no 100 times than to say yes once and regret it throughout our lives as we fight those addictions.
As I pray for our youth today, I pray for their parents, I pray for the ministers in our churches, for the chaplains with the hospitals, police, and firemen.
I include those young summer police officers who are seeing such thoughtlessness before them and wondering if this is a good job for their futures.
I pray that all these adults will become mentors for these young people, especially those who seem to need that extra grace of guidance and care with a lot of patience. It is a gift from God to do His work for those who do not have any interest in Him.
Our future lies with the youth only if they become old enough to be workers, helpers, leaders, and good citizens. We need to pray for this upcoming generation that they will be hungry and thirsty for more – for Jesus.
If you have been shaking your head and wondering what has become of this younger generation, I ask that you join me in these prayers.
Thankful for having been prayed for through my youth, it is well-nigh time for me to pass this covering of prayer along to the upcoming generation. Only with God’s help and guidance will they become all they were created to be.
ED. NOTE: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com.
