A FRESH WAY TO PRAY FOR SUDAN

God put Sudan on the heart of Linda Grace several years ago and she has been praying for the nation ever since. The following is something that God gave her as a guide to pray for Sudan. Linda is not making a theological statement in this, she is simply following a Holy Spirit directed way to pray for Sudan.

Linda Grace

As I beheld the nation in prayer, it started like this:
“And the earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep…” Genesis 1:2

Obviously this nation has a long history, many events have preceded this day, which is indicated by the conjunction “and”. Though the past has played itself out and had its various impacts on the nation and the people, the focus here is on the present state of affairs: it is without form and void.

I do subscribe to the theory of re-creation; that between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 there happened the Fall of Lucifer and that it destroyed the earth such as God had originally created it, that God did not originally create the earth to be without form and void:

“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it: he hath established it. He created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:18

The people of Sudan need to know they were not created to live in this devastation, and they will not stay there. That is not who they are. That is the way I saw S. Sudan: the ravages caused by the repeated destructive raids from the North, the enslavements, the killings, the stealing have left this nation “without form and void.” I do understand that there was no infrastructure to begin with but the formlessness and void is something else. It is a spiritual, emotional and physical devastation caused by ungodly events, not just the absence of infrastructure.

In that place of utter devastation, God speaks:

“And God said let there be light and there was light” Genesis 1:3

At the time I saw these things in prayer, my pastor and his wife had taken a missions team to Sudan to under-gird the Church and preach the Gospel. They represented to me that moment when God said “let there be light”. I am not saying there were not others preaching. Only that I was aware that the Gospel was being preached, hope was being imparted, Light was shining perhaps for the first time in some people’s hearts. Jesus said, “I am the Light” (John 8:12). I once heard it preached this way “and God said, let there be Jesus.” That is how I prayed for Sudan. When God says something, it happens. Salvation belongs to the Lord ( John 2:9) and I was aware that God was using our missions team to bring that good news, that light, that salvation.

“And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light day and the darkness he called Night.” Genesis 1:4-5a

Now light brings a division. It is not the same as darkness and we have the promise that darkness cannot overcome the light. It is hard for me to say to a people who have suffered so much that nothing can separate them from that light, once it has shined in their hearts, but it is nonetheless true. Light brings an ability to see, warmth, understanding, the ability to do things, light brings so much with its presence. Darkness cannot overcome light. Those abilities, that understanding, the warmth cannot be taken from us. I realize it is not a guarantee against future suffering but it is an assurance of eternal salvation and, because God is good and understands our plight, it is also a very present help in trouble ( Psalm 46:1 ).

“And the evening and the morning were the first day” Genesis 1:5b

Here I saw a rhythm of life being re-established, (this came to me in the Spring of 2005.) A normal pace of life where there had been nothing but chaos before, now there could be morning, noon and night, a rhythm of what we would call “normal life.” When my pastor and his wife prepared to return to Sudan in 2006, I began to see this first day as a season, perhaps a year and that there were 5 more phases or years of things God wanted to do in Southern Sudan. When I shared this with Louise, my pastor’s wife, she sat up straight and noted with excitement that there were 5 more years to the Peace Agreement. One year was gone, there were 5 left. I wanted to rush back and study out the next 5 years but nothing has come of it. Maybe it isn’t for me to study out. I submit these scriptures with all the love Lord God has given me to the people of Sudan. We love you and will continue to pray for you.

Another thing the Lord had shown me once about this rhythm, where the day begins with the evening, is that we tend to think of the day beginning with the sunrise. When all is well so to speak, we start with the positive. But God begins the day just as night is falling. He impressed on me never to give up during the night, when things are bleak and dark and I don’t understand or see what is going on or even where He is, because the day isn’t over morning comes, until the Day Star arises (2Peter 1:19). For me things aren't over until I see Jesus and when I see Jesus in my situation, I am at peace, there is light, there often comes understanding but even if not, there always comes rest.


“And God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.” Genesis 1:7-8