Thursday, May 27, 2010

Pray for Each Other

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:10-12



I had a dear friend tell me this week that she prays for me every morning. I can not tell you how much it meant for me to know that she lifts my name to our Father at the very earliest hours of the day. I didn’t ask her to pray- but she prays for me. I didn’t mention that I had a prayer concern- but she prays for me.. I have not been ill- but she prays for me.

I have not stopped thinking about it since she told me and I will tell you this- my friend has had a very hard year. Her faith has been tested and her heart broken, but her love and devotion for God has grown tremendously through this trial. To think of her taking the time to say my name before God when I know she has so many things that she needs to talk to Him about is, well the most selfless thing she could do in my eyes.

How often do we have people approach us with prayer concerns? How often do we write prayer concerns down at church or in Sunday School? How often have you known of someone that was sick and needed prayers? How many times have you told someone you would pray for them and then forgot? I’m guilty of that. I’ve had the very best of intentions- but I’m human and I have forgotten at times. I’d like to believe that’s one of the reason’s God created the technology of Microsoft Outlook to keep my calendar updated and to throw a reminder at me when I need to do something. It works J-and yes it has been full of prayer requests at times just so I can remember.

It is SO important that we pray for each other- and not just when we’re asked to do it. We don’t know what’s going on in someone’s life. Maybe they aren’t comfortable sharing it verbally and it’s not important that they tell us because God knows their hearts. When we speak to friends and walk away thinking to ourselves “something just doesn’t seem right”- pray for them. When they mention in passing that they’ve been feeling under the weather or their spouse or child is ill- pray for them. People give us signals without directly coming out and asking for prayer so be alert- be ready to lift them up in prayer. Ask God to bless them in a way that only He is capable of. Ask God to make you sensitive to the needs of others- to use you as an instrument of prayer. We all can pray. To some it might seem like a small token but to God, it’s the time He cherishes with us most. When we come before Him and pour out our hearts to His, He can meet every need we can think of and more.



Julie

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