The ministry of prayer

Earlier this week I was sitting in the car waiting on my wife to get off work. A young couple came out of the store pushing a cart. She was pregnant. I began to pray for them and for the unborn child. I prayed the child would be healthy, and I prayed that, if the couple did not know Christ that He would reveal Himself to them. I prayed that the child would grow up in a godly home.

This was something I had not done before. Often, when I see an accident on the highway I'll pray for the people involved and the first responders. I've prayed when I've seen older people struggling to get across a road or into a store. I've prayed for people who had asked me to look at items they were considering selling in my auction. You would be surprised at some of the stories I hear in those settings. Not once has anyone refused to allow me to pray for them when I've asked. However, this was the first time I had prayed for a young, pregnant couple walking to their car.

Throughout my ministry I've had people tell me they don't know how they could minister to other people. I've often heard this from older persons who feel their best years are behind them. Maybe you can't go on a mission trip or be involved in an outreach ministry, but anyone can pray. Intercessory prayer is a ministry that anyone can do.

I've read that when Corrie ten Boom was bedfast her caretaker brought her mail every day. Corrie would read the cards and letters and then pray for the sender. No longer able to travel and speak she was still involved in the powerful ministry of praying for others. This same ministry is possible for each of us.

I can imagine that when I get to heaven I will find out a lot of people have prayed for me over the years that I never knew about. You will probably learn that people were praying for you as well. As wonderful as that is, think how you'll feel when someone you've never met comes to you to say that they've learned that you prayed for them one day in passing and God marvelously answered your prayer.

Let's look for opportunities to pray for one another. We all need prayer, and we all need to be praying more than we do.