Isn’t it interesting how people who are dead set against evangelism, the Bible, and other forms of Christian witness and expression will still sometimes give space for prayer? A friend recently told me about her agnostic friend who routinely asks her to pray and even prays herself. Although her friend bristles at talk about Jesus, she welcomes prayer.

Another friend recently told me that he has been invited to teach publicly about prayer in a country that routinely restricts or prohibits the sharing of the Christian faith. What’s up with that?

In any event, my friend is eagerly accepting this opportunity. He will teach on both the asking and listening aspects of Christian prayer and set up prayer stations where people can immediately try out what they learn.

I get excited thinking about what God might do as a result. Just think of it. In some countries where the gospel cannot legally be preached, we hear about people seeing visions of Jesus, perhaps not unlike what happened when Saul was knocked off his horse when he encountered the Lord. So how much more might God manifest Himself to a nonbeliever who takes a step of faith and actually calls out to Him? Or to that same nonbeliever who quietly meditates on His Word and invites Him to speak? If God were impatient like I am (but He’s not!), I’d imagine Him barely being able to wait until that prayer event takes place and all those people start calling out to Him!

It makes me wonder: What would happen if I encouraged my unbelieving friends to pray to God and listen for Him? Have any of you tried that? What happened?