When I was in college, my university pastor was the first person who helped me see that there was life, and life for the gospel, outside my direct sphere of influence. Over those years, we learned about and prayed for countless nations and people groups around the world, visiting several of them first hand. One of the most enduring things he taught me during those days was to see world events not just as history in the making but as opportunities for the gospel.

He encouraged the practice of reading the news as a means of prayer – not just looking at what’s going on around the world, but actually praying specifically in light of the news of the world for the gospel to have an opportunity to take root.

We are on the cusp of one such opportunity, so I’d encourage you this week to turn your gaze and your prayers to India. What’s happening there in the next few days has tremendous ramifications for the openness of the country to the gospel. From CNN:

India, the most populous democracy on the planet, is about to hold elections that will seat a new parliament and prime minister. It will be the largest democratic event in history.

India’s election commission is charged with what has been called the world’s largest event management exercise, making sure that democracy doesn’t falter in the vastness of the numbers.

About 15,000 candidates from 500 political parties are vying for 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, or lower house of Parliament. Those candidates are expected to spend about $5 billion on campaigning. That’s second only to the most expensive U.S. presidential campaign — $7 billion in 2012.

Parliamentary elections in India are held every five years, unless the government is dissolved before that. This year will be India’s 16th election since independence in 1947.

The voting begins Monday and the numbers are mind-blowing.