A Call to Pray

    Early in December, my friend Rosemary told me about a special tradition which her family keeps each year. All of the Christmas cards which they receive are put into a large bowl on the dining room table. Before dinner each evening, her family randomly picks a card out of the bowl; then they spend a few minutes praying for the person who sent it to them. Rosemary shared that this would continue for several weeks after the holidays, until they have prayed for all of the friends who sent Christmas cards. Even after all of the other decorations have been put away, the “prayer” bowl remains on the table for any new cards they receive on birthdays or other special occasions throughout the year.

      It sounded like a very easy tradition for us to adopt, but an important one in reminding us to pray for those people who thought enough of us to write. So, Al and I put all of the holiday cards, letters and photos we received into a special bowl. Those short dinnertime prayers, along with our giving of thanks for the meal, have helped us to re-prioritize by focusing on others—a very good thing to do!

     Along with that change in our daily routine came an event at church called a” prayer sweep,” which consisted of dividing up the church directory among several volunteers and calling people to pray with them over the phone.  The prayer sweep gave people the opportunity to share requests for family members, personal concerns, healing for themselves or loved ones and material needs, among other things. It was like opening a window into the heart and soul of our church.

      How sad that we sit right next to people in church on Sunday mornings, work with the same people all week long or communicate with people about a myriad of subjects each day, but never get around to asking if we can pray for them.  Oftentimes they are carrying around heavy burdens and worries and are very willing to share.

      A few years ago, I asked one woman who stopped by my “Good News” table at an Easter crafts fair if there was something I could pray about for her. She responded that her son had just been arrested and asked me to pray that this would be the turning point in his life. Without my asking, she would have gone her way and I would have been completely clueless about her concern. It helped her to know that there was one more person supporting her in prayer for her son.

      We know that we should pray for others, but do we actually take the time to do it? We are aware that people have needs; however, do we reach out to them and ask what their needs are so that we can be praying for them?

       Looking at the other side of the coin, are we willing to share our own prayer concerns with other believers so that they can pray for us, or does pride get in the way? God cares about our needs and also those of the people in our lives. He wants us to pray for each other, believing that He will hear and answer our prayers. And He does!

       Dear friends, let us pray!

      “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you…” 1 Samuel 12:23a NIV

      “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.” Acts 2:42-43 NIV

(Published in the Porterville Recorder Feb. 1, 2012)