If you are reading this, then most likely you are one of the chosen that the Lord has called to Himself. YAY! Definitely something to be eternally grateful for! But no doubt each one of us has family and friends, even those we don’t know but still pray for, that as of today, does not know Jesus nor have they accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. Does this mean that they have not been called to be a follower of Jesus? Does this mean that it is possible they never will be?

We cannot possibly know the mind of God nor the will of Him who sent Jesus. We don’t see the bigger picture. What we can know is that He listens to our pleas, He hears our prayers, and that He loves mankind enough to even die for us.

So is it worth the time and energy to pray for the unsaved? YES!! Time and again it was because of someone’s prayer and plea to the Lord that it was answered. Today, prayers are being answered that were prayed yesterday, or even 20 years ago! Since we do not know God’s timing, we must continue to bring forward the names of those we care about for their salvation.

So what if they are someone that the Lord has NOT called, and perhaps He won’t call to be a follower of Jesus? All I can say is, who is to know? We don’t but He does. It may be that because of our earnestness for someone, that He will ‘change His mind’, if that is truly what He does. It could be that the Lord is wanting us to love others so much that we show that by continuing to bring them forward to the Lord with the hopes that one day they will see the light and turn to Jesus Christ.

Peter said, “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.“
But he also said, “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 2:21, 39

Jesus puts it this way:
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
(God is seeking out people, though he already knows their hearts.)
John 4:23-24
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
John 12:32
(All people can/will be drawn to Jesus.)
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”
John 10:14-16
(Jesus’ sheep, that is, believers, are from all nations, are not just the Jewish people.)
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
John 6:55
(God the Father draws select people to Himself.)
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
John 7:37-38

Are we getting mixed messages? Is the Lord contradicting himself? Let me answer this by emphasizing again: we do not know whom God has called or will call; who will accept Jesus as their Lord. We do know that He says “anyone” and “whoever” and “all”. This leaves the window open for those whom we pray for, since we don’t know the will of God.

If you’ve been praying for someone, then that name has been put on your heart for a reason.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9

Food for thought: Consider that someone was praying for you before you ever chose to accept Jesus. Do you know when He called you? It could have been years before you chose to answer that call.

Fun facts: Wikipedia definition: A telephone, or phone, is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be heard directly.
Early telephone fun facts

Photo by: Quino Al – Black rotary phone