I meant to do this post weeks ago. The holidays and a cruddy cold took care of that notion.

Still, anybody who reads a newspaper or watches the news knows that North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-Il slipped into eternity in December. His son, Kim Jong-Un has succeeded him as the new ruler of one of the world’s remaining Communist countries and the most dangerous place on the planet to profess faith in Jesus Christ, according to Open Doors USA.

What can we do to touch this most closed-to-the-gospel nation on planet earth? We can pray. We can intercede with the confidence of Isaiah 64:4 that no one has a God like we do who acts for those who wait for Him.

Open Doors USA suggests that we pray the following:

• The new leader, Kim Jong-Un, will have a heart of mercy and end the cycle of inhumane dictatorial rule.
• Those in government who have been “secret Christians” will gain more power and influence.
• Christians who have been imprisoned because of their faith will have opportunities to lead others in prayers. And while they pray the Holy Spirit will be revealed to those who don’t know Jesus.
• There will be an increase in opportunities to share about Jesus without fear of retaliation.
• The joy and hope of Jesus will be revealed to those who are sorrowful and feel uncertain of the future.
• North Korean Christians will gain a new boldness and wisdom and will seize opportunities to tell others about the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth.
• On Christmas day especially, the light of Christ will penetrate every home and heart in North Korea.
• Refugees who have fled into China and become Christian will courageously return to North Korea and share the hope of Jesus to a hurting nation.
• The horrendous situation with starvation will not escalate even further because of the government’s desire to demonstrate control.
• The thousands of starving children who are homeless will find shelter, comfort and love in a home with a believer.

Operation World says this in its preface: Prayer is indeed potent . . . especially sustained intercession for the unreached peoples of this world who do not know Jesus – is action (p. xxiii).

May we be a people of action through prayerful touching of unreached places like North Korea.