”Again,
I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it
will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come
together in my name, there am I with them."
(Matthew 18:19-20 NIV)
Quite often, people tell us: - Pray for me! It is then easy to follow an
impulse and simply say:-”OK, I'll pray for you.” Or -”Yes, I'll add you to my
prayer list.” And the conversation ends there.
Early in my
Christian life there was someone who encouraged me to always ’be close to prayer’. And I learned that
promises to pray for someone later are all too easily forgotten. Therefore, it
is often better, as far as possible, to be direct, then and there with the
person, instead of giving a commitment of any subsequent intercession. I say
simply: We’ll pray here and now.
Many times, I
have stood in the midst of people - on a street, in a church or perhaps outside
of a church and discreetly held a hand. No one else had known that we prayed.
It instead to others looked as though we stood and talked about everyday
things, when we actually had a conversation at a heavenly level, where the
living God was present. The burdens of major life disasters were lifted from
people's shoulders - the son of an alcoholic, an abusive spouse, children near
death, drug dependent children, etc. - and were carried to the only One who has
the power to carry our needs, Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Lord thank You for not requiring any
complicated rituals to enable us to pray for each other. Thank You for the
provision and promise that we can always be close to prayer. You are there,
wherever we meet in your Name.
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