Rounding Up the Strays

by Rik Danielsen, D. Min.

One of my favorite guys in the White Mountains was a rancher by the name of Jack Carlisle. Jack was my friend, a deacon, and music leader at the church I was serving. Early in my ministry there, I asked him if he was going to be spending time riding horses I’d love to go along some day. One night Jack called me and said they were going to be rounding up some cattle to ship to market. It would probably be a half day job. He asked if I would like to help? Of course, I said, “Yes” without hesitation.

The next day I went out to the ranch and Jack put a pair of chaps on me and we went out to round up some cows. It was really interesting. We found cows in all sorts of places and got them moving in the direction we wanted them to go. On occasion, one would decide she didn’t want to go that direction and I’d have to go after her and point her the right way. After a while, we had finished the round up. That was one of the better mornings I’d spent in a while. I know that doesn’t make me a real cowboy, but it was a lot of fun.

Have you ever thought that God has called us to round up strays once in a while? Prayer needs to be a significant part of that ministry.

One way to do that is to pray scripture over people who have strayed. Jeremiah’s whole ministry was to bring God’s message to a nation that had strayed from the Lord. Here’s a verse that really speaks to me about how to pray in that situation:

I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart. (Jeremiah 24:7, ESV)

Notice the things God would do for the people who had drifted away from him.

1. Give them a heart to know him.
2. Restore the relationship with them.
3. Cause them to return to him with their whole heart.

That prayer might look something like this:

“Father, today I’m praying for ______________ . Please give him/her a heart to know you. May they return to a right relationship with you. You know how they used to walk with you, please restore them to that kind of walk again. Grant them repentance and allow them to return to you with their whole heart.”

Come to think of it, that would be a great prayer to pray for myself, if I recognize that I’ve drifted from the Lord.

There was a lot of stuff involved when we went out to round up a bunch of strays. Of course we were a part of the process, but we also had horses, saddles and other tack. We had our boots and hats and chaps and coats. It took time and work, but at the end of the day we were able to finish the job. The cows were rounded up and ready to be shipped to market.

There’s a lot involved when you go after spiritual strays. For example, personal ministry needs to take place. That is, we need to visit and help people who are away from the Lord. We also need to share what God’s word says to their situation. But we must never forget the ministry of prayer for those who have strayed. I see prayer as the foundation of every effective ministry. Without it, we are powerless. In fact there are many who will not allow us to minister to them. They don’t want our help and they won’t listen to us when we share with them. But they can’t stop us from praying. So pray, pray, and pray again. Pray believing that the God who worked in your life can also work in their lives.

Copyright 2022 Rik Danielsen