Home 
After President George H. Bush declared war on Iraq in the early 90s, a group of committed Christians in Atlanta gathered to pray. They prayed on behalf of soldiers, governmental leaders, and the future of all nations involved.
But one young man was evidently praying wrong.
Fred Craddock, a famous preacher from North Georgia, was in attendance that evening, and overheard a brief conversation between a young man and an older gentleman. During the worship service, Dr. Craddock noted that the young man had asked God to “be with the women and children in Iraq who would be hurt and killed in the war.” That’s certainly a compassionate stance to take; after all, no war is fought without collateral damage amongst innocent civilians.
But when the praying, Scripture reading, and worship was over, Dr. Craddock saw a man in his mid-fifties walk over to the young man and ask him flatly, “Are you on Saddam’s side?”
Perplexed, the young man said, “Uh, no sir.”
“Well, you’re praying for the wrong people,” he said.
War might be controversial…but intercessory prayer shouldn’t be.
Resource’s Origin:
Craddock Stories by Fred B. Craddock. Chalice Press, 2001, Page 130.
Topics Illustrated Include:
Christians
Compassion
Enemy
God’s Will
Hate
Intercessory Prayer
Prayer
War
Young
(Resource cataloged by David R Smith)
