1 Timothy 2: 1-2, MSG, was used in my pastor's recent devotional. "The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quiet about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation." His instructions were to pray; every way; for everyone; for rulers, for our rulers...to rule well...so OUR lives may be lived quietly, simply, and in humble contemplation.
While I was sick I realized one day that I was not getting better. I was too tired to talk and had not said much in four or five days, mostly I just slept. One evening my daughter told me she was going to call a friend to come pray over me. I remember thinking, “who would want to come to this house?” Within minutes my doorbell rang and my family put a chair at the glass front door. My friends had me put my hand on the glass while they put theirs on the other side and prayed over me. All I could do was weep. Partly because I was sick, partly because I was tired, partly because of the love shown and a lot of tears from the relief of hearing, “Jesus, we know you have the power to heal!, Thank You, Jesus!”
And that is when I began to turn around. I know Jesus has the power to heal and gives that power to us through His name but I seemed to have forgotten. You see, I had been wallowing in my misery and had not been raising any hallelujahs! I needed a fellow believer to remind me and let me hear it. When I sat back down in the den, I kept saying, “Thank You, Jesus!” I said it over and over the next few days and it turned my mindset around. We have to feel better when we are praising God! I have thought a lot about that night. The witness my daughter saw and anyone who may have been walking by.
The love these friends showed my family and I was overwhelming. They dropped everything and came, showing God’s love. They lived out Romans 12: 10-12, “Be devoted to one another in 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.” My friends and family agreed on the power of prayer. Matthew 18: 19, ““Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” They showed compassion through James 5: 16, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Confidence was shown through 1 Thessalonians 5: 11, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Through my friends' compassion and cooperation they showed me their confidence in God’s Word.
So many people are going through a tough time and we need to be in prayer for them. Not only will it benefit them but it benefits us. Like David, the more we praise God, the more we find to praise Him for! Psalm 103: 15-19, “The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.” We are to praise God in every circumstance, no matter what is going on. This will give us joy and please God. Psalm 150: 2, “Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.”
Ezekiel recorded these words from God, ““I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” God said He was looking for “someone”. Could you be that someone who could stand in the gap for another person? Praying for someone is not just a nice gesture or just words. When we tell someone we will pray for them we are putting on God’s armor and heading to the front lines of battle on their behalf. What a wonderful gift we can give each other!