Power In Prayer
OPENING PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, you exhorted us to pray together, saying “where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20, NIV). Let the power of the Holy Spirit ignite our prayers today!
READ:
I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy!” II Timothy 1:1-4
REFLECT:
One of the easiest things we can offer people in their time of need is to offer to pray for them. When we offer this, it is almost universally accepted and appreciated – even by non-believing people. Something about offering to pray for someone or lift them up in prayer conveys with it a sense of care and compassion for those who are in need. I Thessalonians 5:11, NIV says “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Romans 12:12, NIV says “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” No matter how bad a day someone is having, nor matter what calamity has befallen them, almost everyone can be cheered up through offering prayer and support. Sometimes God takes us through difficult times, such as this current Covid situation. We may have even lost loved ones to this sickness. Through all this, God builds in us the ability to use our pain as a tool to help others. This is how God teaches and matures us. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble, with the comfort we ourselves have received from God,” (II Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV).
APPLY:
You will find no greater connection with people than by committing to pray for them. Now, once you commit to that, you need to execute. That starts with recording, noting or writing down these requests, somewhere you will see them on a regular basis. I have an app on my phone I can add requests to. Once the prayer request is logged, I can set the request to pop up on my phone, daily, weekly or monthly. Since life gets so very busy, this method helps me remember to lift these different prayers up on a regular basis to the Lord. We all know how easy it is to say, “I’ll pray for you.” It’s even easier to say, “I have been praying for you.” With a very “on-purpose” method of recording or writing down prayer requests, we can stay vigilant and truly bless those who share needs with us. You can even open a note on your phone or keep a prayer journal. Just start. Today!
CLOSING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father help me to be thoughtful to listen to hear the cries of others for help. Allow me to give time, to take time and lift these people up in prayer. Colossians 4:2, NIV, says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Amen.