Greetings from Palo Alto!
Students’ initial excitement of being back on campus at Stanford (after a long time away!) is waning, and midterm season has been going strong for multiple weeks now. Students are in need of refreshment from the Lord! I suppose we all are, all the time.
I am hopeful for the body of Christ at Stanford as I remember how compassionate our Lord is. His feeding of the 5,000 showcases this well:
The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied (Mark 6:30-42).Jesus had compassion on his twelve disciples, weary as they were from the teaching, healing, and casting out unclean spirits that Jesus had sent them out to do (Mark 6:7). He was zealous for their rest and health, for their ministry was so successful the people wouldn’t even leave them alone long enough to eat! But when the crowds followed them even in their retreat to the desolate places, the same unfathomable compassion of Jesus extended to every single person among the masses. So, miraculously, Jesus fed the twelve and the masses alike.
Would you pray for a similar miraculous feeding of Stanford students by Jesus? There is plenty of food at Stanford, and plenty of time to eat it. But Stanford students—disciples and non-disciples alike—are desperate for the spiritual food and drink that God offers us in Jesus. May Jesus satisfy his followers at Stanford this month far beyond grades, job offers, relationships, and all the other consumables Stanford and this world offer!
And likewise, would you pray that Jesus would satisfy, for the first time this November, students who do not yet know him? Please pray for the classmate of a junior in Bible course who has been hearing the gospel and a defense of the faith over meals and times in the gym with him. Pray for the two roommates of a sophomore I’ve been meeting with who are persistently expressing interest in his faith. Pray for the freshman I’ve gotten to know who isn’t quite sure whether he believes the claims of Jesus and if he is ready to follow him. And please pray for the many other friends and acquaintances that our community will interact with this month, that Jesus will compassionately give himself to them through us!
We won’t be able to share the gospel in power—as the twelve did when Jesus sent them out (Mark 6:7)—apart from prayer! So will you pray with us this month?
Warmly,
Justin Woyak
Senior Ministry Fellow
Christian Union Caritas
Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates on how to pray for Christian Union's work, please email prayer@christianunion.org.
