Continuing reflection on the Prayer Card from the Christian organisation called Medical Missionary News (https://mmn.uk.com). Saturday’s prayer is for STUDENTS
Please pray for the students that we are supporting in their medical studies, that they will be disciplined to give their best in their studies, despite all the pressures. Pray, too, that God will keep their desire to serve the local community alive and He will direct their future ministry.
With the prospect of higher salaries and better conditions in other countries, it is understandable if there is temptation to “adjust” their initial desire. Looking back over my areas of employment, I wonder if there have been occasions when I have changed ambitions for the wrong reasons.
When I hear criticism of landowners letting their fields for the installation of solar panels or even selling land for building, I have to challenge myself as to what I would do in a similar situation if offered a large sum of money, especially if it would not be possible to acquire that sum by working hard. I therefore find it understandable if students, wherever they have been trained, decide to move to another country to earn considerably more money and possibly with less stress.
I recall in the early years of my marriage, it was challenging to weigh the prospect of earning extra money with overtime, against supporting my wife with two young children. Reflecting over 50 years later, I recognise that sometimes I made the wrong choice. I, therefore, understand why a Christian organisation would value prayer for wise choices and decisions by those whom they sponsor.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we pray for anyone, including ourselves, who may be tempted to move to achieve better working conditions and salaries, unless it is in accordance with Your will. AMEN