I Prayed for You, Mohammed!

Bekele Shanko, born in Ethiopia, now serves with Cru as vice president for Global Church Movements in Orlando, FL. During a missions-emphasis speaking engagement at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, MN, he shared a unique prayer idea:

I have a friend by the name of Henry, who walks every morning for half an hour and prays for people by name. . . . He says, “God, this morning would You remember a person named Mohammed? Would You open his eyes to see Your glory and Your greatness and Your salvation?”

Whenever he meets a new person, he asks, “What’s your name?” And then when a person says, “Mohammed,” Henry says, “Wow, Mohammed! I have been praying for you.” “You have been praying for me? How? How do you know me?” And Henry begins to share the love of God. He prays for Fatima, he prays for Kelia, he prays for Iamed. . . . You can also pray by name. You know some of the most popular names in America? I was just googling to know which names are most popular so that you can pray for them. Emma is number one in America. You say, “God, please remember Emma today.” For how many Emmas can you pray? So many Emmas! You can pray for Olivia, for Sophia, for Eva, for Isabella. Those are the top 5 prominent names in America among the ladies. And then men: Noah, Liam, William, Mason, and James . . . you can pray for them. You are “praying in” the Kingdom of God to earth.

Scripture repeatedly speaks of God’s interest in each one of us “by name.” In Isaiah we read, “Thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!’” (Isa. 43:1, NASB). This is an individual calling of redemption, as well as a national one, which we also see when God told King Cyrus He called him by name (Isa. 45:3). And in the New Testament Jesus speaks of calling His sheep by name (John 10:3).

So follow Henry’s lead. Walk, pray, and name names. Add other names that have meaning for you—people in your community who share your first name, people with your spouse or siblings’ names. Pray for others who share the names of your children or grandchildren.
Then invite the Spirit to lead you to these people who need to hear about the love of Christ.