GOD, HELP ME TO STAND

My prayer this morning was, “God, help me to stand, even if I stand alone.”
Well, I guess God knew I needed this prayer today.
You see, today was the See You At The Pole – National Day of Student Prayer (SYATP).
This event has been going on for 25 years and its purpose is to unite students in prayer, interceding for their generation, nation, and schools. Throughout the nation, students will meet at their flagpoles at 7:00 a.m. to pray.

You may think, “It’s a student event. Why would you be there?”
Well…
Last year, my daughter transferred from a very small, conservative charter school to a very large public high school. On SYATP last year, I asked my daughter to participate with other Christian students at her new school. NO ONE SHOWED UP so no one prayed. When my daughter told me after school, her exact words were, “Now, mom, I know you are going to be really depressed about this.”
I was.
I went into a kind of mourning period. I was very sad and disappointed. I also regretted and questioned my decision to take her out of a very sheltered conservative environment and placing her in the lion’s den so to speak.

So this year, as SYATP approached, I decided I was not going to let this day go unattended at her school. I advertised the event on the school’s parent social media page. I threw it out there saying, “So, is anyone participating in this event? Is anyone going to head this up? Is anyone else going to stand up and pray? Anyone, anyone, anyone?”

I got a lot of social media hearts and thumbs up but no leadership commitment. Last night on the social media post, I said, “OK, so tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. Right?" Again, a lot of hearts and thumbs up. I was feeling pretty good about the whole thing. I’d done my part. I was the marketing rep. I figured that's what God had called me to do, just get the word out. Someone else would gladly take over from here.

As the fear and doubts set in, I even questioned my need to be there. Surely, other parents and their students had it under control. You see, I work at a wonderful Christian School. When you mention a prayer event, it’s just a given that people are going to show up. You stand by the flag and start praying, and people will always join you. But, going into the center of a very large, intimidating public school parking lot had me sweating!

I told my daughter who was totally freaking out and not wanting to get out of the car, “Your mom is not some super Christian. This is hard for me. This is WAY out of my comfort zone. So, I don’t mind if you stay in the car. It’s OK. I get it. These are your peers. But, I have to do this. I put the word out there. After, I told people to show up, how could I not? And if I don’t stand for Jesus today, when I have the freedom to do so, I will not stand for Him when those freedoms are gone.”

So, we arrived at the parking lot at 6:55 am and there were already a lot of kids on campus but the flagpole was empty. My daughter was like, “Mom, what are you going to do if no one shows up?”
"I’m going to go stand there by myself."
My daughter was shocked. “You’re going to go stand there all alone?”
"Yep."
So, 6:58 – no one.
6:59 – no one
7:00 a.m. – no one. Time to get out of the car.
It was literally one of the longest walks of my life. I stood in the center of the school parking lot and said, “OK, God. I’m standing here all alone and I’m OK. I’m just going to walk around this pole and pray. I’m going to pray for young men and women to rise up in courage and boldness for Jesus on this campus. I’m going to pray for protection over this school.”

After a few minutes, one mom walked up with her two teens and joined me. Then, another brave young man, and before long it was five of us around the pole praying. Then, my daughter joined us and little by little students and parents trickled in.  By 7:15 a.m., we had a group of about 20 people circling the flagpole. We prayed in unity and in Jesus Name for this next generation of students who are facing a very challenging future.

I feel for these Christian students who are entering a world where wrong is right and right is wrong. Where evil is glorified and goodness is vilified. Where grown men and women are bowing down to political correctness and refusing to stand for righteousness. As our young people see the adults around them giving into evil and temptation, breaking up their families and homes, who are compromising in their own walks with God. How can we expect them to stand when we won’t?

So today, God wanted me to stand alone - even if it was just for a few minutes. He wanted me to stand firm on my faith. To walk the talk. He promised to be with me, to never leave me, to give me His courage to walk to that flagpole knowing that I may be the only one to show up.

So, Christian parents it is time to stand for Jesus for the sake of our children - even if we stand alone. We must model for them what it looks like to stand for Jesus. Because Jesus said, "If you acknowledge Me before others, I will acknowledge you before My Father in heaven, but if you deny Me before others, I will deny you before My Father in heaven." (Matthew 10:32)

My Christian brothers and sisters, it’s time to stand for Jesus for the sake of our nation - even if we stand alone.
Because all it takes is for one person to stand up. One person standing for Jesus and righteousness will give courage to another and then to another and so on and so on. Before we know it, we will be a crowd of witnesses standing together for Jesus and changing our families, schools, communities and nation. We can restore our nation to One Nation under God if His people who are called by His Name will stand for Him and pray.

Isaiah 51:1-2
"Listen to Me, all who hope for deliverance - all who seek the LORD!...
Abraham was only ONE man when I called him. But I blessed him, he became a great nation. 
Ephesians 6:10-14
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…When the Day of Evil comes, STAND YOUR GROUND and after you have done everything – STAND. STAND FIRM! 

I'm standing for Jesus! Will you?
Love,
Yolanda