Pray without ceasing. This is likely a verse I learned very early in my years. I always wondered - how does this happen. How does one pray - without stopping? How do you do life, and still pray? What is the posture that God wants us to have? On our knees. Face down before him?
I believe that over the years, I have learned a lot about prayer. About having conversation with the Father. I have come to understand how like when my kids were little and came to sit on my lap - this is not unlike what the Father loves too! I sometimes no OFTEN, imagine sitting on the lap of the Father, my head on His chest, feeling the beat of his heart, and talking to Him. I believe this characterizes prayer too. Oh how He longs for us to come and talk with him.
I have come to realize that prayer can be like breathing. You know, we don't even really think of the aspects of inhaling and exhaling ... we just do it. I believe that prayer is like this and that as we pray more and more, it becomes just well, "second nature" and our expression to the LORD.
Throughout my years, I have had the opportunity and the privilege to stand in the gap (so to speak) for others. To pray for the homeless, and also for those who are in their comfy homes but needing prayer. I remember one time when I was Toronto at a conference for our denomination, we went on a "spiritual scavenger hunt" in an area that you actually didn't really want to find yourself in close to midnight. But in we went, in groups of 2's. One of the things we were encouraged to do was to pray with someone that God would place along our path, but to have a conversation with them first, and then if they were okay with it, to pray with them. This night was the first time I ever experienced the feeling of seeing someone with Jesus eyes, and I was brought to tears, as my soul felt overwhelmed with seeing this person perhaps as Jesus does. This has happened to me just a handful of times since, where I have "felt" this, like the LORD gives me his eyes.
I have also been asked to pray for the sick, and also for the dying. There is something about being there as someone is dying. It is like being on holy ground. I thank God for those times as I've prayed for the one being ushered into heaven, and also for the family letting them go for the time being.
Praying for the sick, has stretched me in places as I have felt like I have put it all on the line, asking God to heal - ad to show His might and power!
I have had the opportunity to pray for countless women, and men over the years of ministry here. To stop what I have been doing, and to be invited into a story. This weekend was no exception. I have prayed for people ahead of their visit here, and then often have prayed with people around a cup of coffee, or a hug and a prayer prayed into their ear.
I will admit that sometimes the list of people to be prayed for seems long. I don't think I am the only person who has willingly said "I will pray for you" only to have forgotten. I don't think I am the only one that has been thanked for praying, and realizing that I had forgotten. Talk about feeling like I have let someone down!! I have come to see that with prayer, as a sister in Christ once told me - that the prayers of the saints are eternal! That God doesn't care if I pray about the same thing over and over - that He knows, and if I prayed once - that is sufficient.
I have come to believe that if I feel the need to pray for someone, then I need to for sure do it immediately - with them. I believe I can pray not only in person (which I love doing) but can also pray with someone over the phone (my parents did that with me) or even through text or email. I also write out my prayer time conversations in my journal. I don't believe there are rights or wrongs in our prayer life. Or maybe the only wrong would be to never pray!
I can not imagine life without prayer. For me, the most incredible gift is also when someone stops me, and prays. This doesn't happen as much as I would love, but it does happen, and I am thankful.
I have also come to realize that we do not have to know the person that we are praying for. And I also believe that God enlarges our hearts for people that we may not know, but feel a need to pray. This has happened alot lately - as God has brought me into stories of two women, who are in ministry and whose husbands died by suicide. Or the stories of a wife, whose husband is recovering from an extreme head injury where he likely should have died (2 and a half years ago) but it seems God has other plans! Or most lately Ive been praying for a little girl and her family, who is in rehab after suffering a freak fall off a golf cart. I have woken up in the night (for no reason) only to have God bring one of the names to mind - and I pray.
We do not always know the affects of our prayers, but we do know the one who is the Miracle Maker. As I talked with someone this weekend, I did say that sometimes the way we pray is not answered the way we hope, but we have to trust that God is sovereign and fully in control. We sometimes feel entitled to a certain answer don't we? We need to remember that God is NOT a vending machine, nor does He operate like Santa Claus. If you have children, you will agree with me that any good parent does not give their child everything they ask for. We like to think we know the best for our kids. I believe this is much like our Abba - who knows exactly what we need and when. I believe that prayer is about spending time in adoration and confession as well. Praising him first for who he is - for recalling His faithfulness to us, and to our families. And yes, there is time to ask ...
One of my friends experienced a tragedy in their family and told me that one of the family members wondered why even pray if God didn't answer the prayer that seemed like the best prayer that day! (don't we always ask for safety for our kids?). When we talked, she shared that her spouse felt that perhaps praying was of no value since God does his own thing anyhow. To be honest, I likely felt this same way ten years later when our grandson was born silently, and we prayed and petitioned God like I have never done before or since. But to "seemingly" no avail. We prayed with such fervour, but I asked God - WHERE WERE YOU? WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER and I even voiced "God I don't even know if you are faithful!" Oh I am so glad that His shoulders are way bigger than my rants. BUT truth be told, his lack of responding to our prayer that day, really sent me for a loop.
I won't ever act like I understand that.
But I believe I can fully say now, that through each time I have prayed, whether God has answered in the way I prayed or not, that I have grown in my faith, and come to believe regardless - He is still sovereign. He has not abandoned us and He is still faithful.
Prayer. Like our breath, becomes something we do more and more of, if we are open to being invited into others lives, and to pray with people.
Prayer becomes our response - in the good - in the bad - and yes, even in the ugly.
Prayer is what we do regardless of color or race, financial status or whether it is a friend, family member or just someone we have read about.
Prayer is our response - and our way to stand in the gap and hold up people's arms (like when Moses needed his arms to be held up by others)
Pray.
without ceasing
Just. Pray.
j
PS
As I was writing this, I was reminded of the verses that talk about the prayers of the saints being collected in golden bowls in the throne room of God ... what a powerful image that is! Just think - my prayers - your prayers - the prayers of others are there!! WOW.
So as I head off to bed, I will be praying .... for Kayla, for Julie, for Eva Love, Dugan and Lindsey, for Laura nd Jonny. (none of which I know) And then for my family, especially my littlest "grand" who has been up experiencing croup tonight ... and then for my friends, T.T. in Nepal, and Karen in the UK and on and on ...
It is a privilege to stand in the gap ....
My father used to say "People always say that answers to prayer are just coincidences, but you will soon see that if/when you stop praying - coincidences stop happening!! " My dad was right.
Prayer does change things.
Okay, off to bed...
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