Pray With Me
“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth
concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where
two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."
Matthew 18:19-20
Living in the south, it is customary and usually expected that someone prays for you. Feeling a little under the
weather? Oh honey I’ll be praying for you. Have a job interview or a big test?
Oh honey I’ll pray for you. Your husband is cheating on you with that floozy down
the street who’s half your age and is tackier than Uncle Jim’s Christmas
sweater? Oh Honey, I’ll be praying for you. Although it is a nice sentiment and
a comforting phrase, we are doing each other an injustice by just praying for
each other. We should start practicing the act of praying with each other
instead of just for each other.
Here’s
Why:
It’s
an easy response.
Like I said above, “I’ll pray for you” has
become an automatic phrase, a knee jerk response, like crying in a
Nicolas Sparks movie, it's just what you do. I do not doubt the sincerity of the
phrase but there is a touch of laziness to it. Instead of blanketing the situation with a
generic “I’ll pray for you”, ask the person you are conversing with if you can
pray with them right then and there. Of course, if the person is
unwilling you’ll have the “I’ll pray for you” to fall back on. Take a step of faith and stretch yourself. It may be awkward at first but just like going to the gym for the first time since Christmas 2015....you'll work your way into it. You will be stronger because of it and the person your praying with will be blessed.
You
forget.
Though usually said with a full intention
of fulfilling, praying for someone tends to go to the wayside when life
happens. Your child showed out at daycare, you don’t have all the
ingredients you thought you needed for supper and the robot vacuum ran over dog poop
spreading it all over the house. Somewhere between the pasta and the
poop, you forgot to pray. To avoid the inevitable lapse of memory, stop and ask
the person if you can pray with them right now. They will be grateful and you
will be refreshed from spending a moment in prayer.
There
is power in unity.
We see in Psalm 133*
that God loves it when his children live in unity. When we unite in prayer with
one another it is like precious oil being poured on the head. Think about how
it makes you feel when your kids are getting along, agreeing and helping each
other out. It makes you want give them anything they want and to love on them
for forever, right? That is how God feels when we work together to help each
other out; when we unite in prayer with one another, not just for one another.
God Undoubtedly Gets The Glory.
Say you
encounter your friend Susan in the Grocery store parking lot. You and Susan do
some catching up and she reveals that she has a job interview in two days. You
take this opportunity to ask Susan, “May I pray with you right now for favor”?
Susan agrees and you pray for her right there in the Jitney Jungle parking lot
next to the compact cars. Susan ,whether she says it out loud or not, is praying
with you. Since she wants the best for herself (obviously) she will be agreeing in prayer
even if she doesn't do so verbally. Now fast forward and Susan gets the new job she desperately
needed. Your agreement in prayer is still very fresh in her mind, so she knows
without a shadow of a doubt that your prayer contributed to her new found employment.
If you would have gone home and prayed for her in the comfort of your living
room, God still would have touched Susan’s situation and she still would have
gotten the job. However, God would have not received any Glory or thanks for
his Grace and Susan would go on with life without knowingly experiencing the
goodness of God’s love. You robbed Susan and God! Aren’t you glad you took the
time out of your hectic life to pray with Susan? A seed has now been planting
in her heart for God.
We Don't Talk Anymore.
Cell phones, tablets, computers, smart watches, as a society we are more connected than ever and lonelier than ever. True ,meaningful, get to know you conversations are fewer and fewer these days. People are looking for interaction, they are looking for someone to listen to them and empathize with them. You can not empathize in 140 characters or less people. You just cant. Next time you see a post seeking prayer, ask them to meet you for coffee to chat and pray. If they are across the country, pick up the phone and pray for them verbally, human being to human being. I firmly belief God can heal someone through the internet but the human side of the equation needs comforting and that can not be done online.
*References for Psalms 133
Precious oil- YES! What an excellent post! This is SO TRUE! We so need the prayers of one another-- and you can't beat being RIGHT THERE actually praying WITH that person. It's so unifying, so humbling, so empowering to live the Truth when you know another soul is willing to strive with you in the battle of life -- lifting you up to the Father & together IN PERSON trusting Him with petitions brought forth . Praise the Lord! Thank you, Morgan, for this challenge!
ReplyDeletethis was very moving to read. We have a chapel in the lobby of our office building and I often pray there alone for other people. But was a beautiful thing it would be to invite someone to pray with me. I also want to count the blessings of social media that I got to meet you, Morgan, virtually, and many of my friends in Mississippi.
ReplyDelete