My first awareness of how rampant meth production is began a few years ago.
I was riding my motorcycle down a rural county road. As the road dipped down into a small valley, an acrid aroma hit my nose. I had never in all my life smelled such an awful stench. The only smell that even halfway describes what I smelt that day is to take a completely urine soaked cat box and multiply that odor until it will fill an entire valley.
I am a country girl. My grandparents all owned large farms and raised a variety of animals. I am completely familiar with the aromas of country living. That smell was nothing like anything I had ever smelt before.Now I know, that in all probability, I had come across a meth lab cooking up their destructive product. Several weeks later there was a meth lab found in that area by a local law enforcement task force.
Meth hooks some people the first time they try it. It fills up all of their insecurities and makes them feel like they are super alive.The chemicals in meth create a euphoria that is akin to the beautiful songs the mythical Greek sirens sang to lure passing sailors to their death. Stopping is a difficult struggle.
Because I work with children, I see the impact of meth on them.
My prayers include a plethora of children, whom I have known, or know personally, whose lives have been broken apart because of the effects of meth abuse. Toddlers found in homes with meth pipes and crystal meth within their reach. Kindergarten children whose parents, grandparents, or siblings became burglars to get money for meth. Fourth and fifth grade students whose parents were arrested and sent to prison for manufacturing meth. High school students who were stopped by a law enforcement task force for approaching a known meth dealer's house that they were watching, and the list goes on...and on...and on.
In my imagination, I see the angels in heaven weeping every time a child of God turns to drugs like meth. Jesus himself sits weeping on his throne over the destruction and chaos that is in the lives of his innocent, little children. How Jesus feels about babies and children is made clear in the following verses from Luke 16.
15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”Jesus also said in Luke 16:
I am praying for the Pestilence of Meth to be removed from the lives of children everywhere. Pray this prayer with me:
Father God, Jesus, please remove the pestilence of meth from the lives of innocent babies and children. Heal the babies born to addicted mothers. Soften the hearts of their parents so that they will be receptive to hearing about a different way to feel super alive. Let them hear about Jesus and let them desire to be born again and feel super alive in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. Father, I am weeping before you because of the meth born destruction that I see in the lives of children all around me.
Open the eyes, ears, and hearts of your faithful ones to reach out to families and bring the Good News of Jesus into their live. I know the workers are few, but the harvest is bountiful and needs to be brought in. Instill the need for community outreach in the spirit-led, leaders in your worldwide church.
I ask these things through the mighty name of Jesus Christ, who obediently died on a cross to save your children in all generations.
Amen.
