As you conclude this time of prayer, raise your eyes once again to the natural light entering this space from above. Thank the Lord for the light of His revelation, which is traveling to All Nations through the intentional work of International Workers and those who send and support them.

The Prophet Simeon said it best as he held the newborn Jesus in his arms and understood the significance of His mission:

My eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:30-32

Thank you for spending time praying for the nations! We hope this experience has helped you connect with God’s heart for the world in a fresh way, and that many of you are inspired to use your own creative or artistic abilities to express your hearts to God!

In Revelation 7:9-12, multitudes of people from all across the earth worship God in every language. In Verse 10 this uncountable chorus of grateful humans gives thanks to the Lord for salvation.

10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

Biblically, salvation includes complete victory over sin and all its consequences. This includes bondage to the enemy, the chains of addiction, the guilt of sin, and all forms of brokenness–from broken relationships to broken bodies–ultimately salvation even includes freedom from death itself.

As we ponder and pray about reaching the ends of the earth with the Good News of Salvation, it is important that we joyfully remember God’s gift of salvation extended to us as well.

As you observe this series of mixed-media works depicting Jesus our Savior, think about what Jesus has saved you from. Remember the mercy and forgiveness He has offered you in place of your sin. Think about the direction you were wandering off to when he “left the 99” to find you. Consider the substitutionary sacrifice He made in your place. Think of the eternal life in heaven that awaits you, instead of judgment.

Join with the chorus of heaven, and with gratitude, declare:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

This series of paintings by Zay Ziegler portrays some of the beautiful diversity of the people God created. Look carefully at each painting and allow yourself to feel any emotions they evoke. With visual art, emotion can be communicated through color palettes, lighting and textures as well as the content itself. In the case of these paintings, each subject is telling a story with their body language, their facial expressions, and even the background colors that provide their context.

First Timothy 2:1 encourages us to pray for everyone. It says:

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people”

When praying for International Workers or unreached people around the world, we are often praying for people we don’t know. Prayer, then, is often an act of empathy. In the same way that the artist who painted these portraits took great care to effectively portray the stories and emotional states of this diverse group of people, prayer often requires us to think and feel deeply for people with stories and situations that are unfamiliar to us as we intercede on their behalf.

The cards on the table near these paintings each have a description of an international worker. Pick up one of the post cards and spend some time praying empathetically for the person or people it describes. Imagine their stories and allow your heart to be affected by the Lord’s love for them as you pray.