When It's Time To Pray

We had a discussion in our Staff gathering this afternoon about prayer. My goodness, but we don't do this enough. Ever. (pray, not discuss prayer). How desperate we are for the prayers of our friends and those that love us. I would much rather know that my friends are interceding in prayer for me than receive gifts from them. Prayer is the greatest gift we can offer.

Real, intercessory prayer. I think we spend too much time trying to justify a lousy prayer life by saying that we send up short prayers - we are too busy, so at least we're praying. NO! We just can't be too busy for this. It's much too important. Lives and souls are counting on me ... on you.

This afternoon I was compelled to pray. That doesn't happen very often and it doesn't happen very often that I know who I'm to pray for. When I was much younger, I had moved far away from home. I was alone in a town where I knew no one except the senior pastor of the church where I worked. This was long before the internet. My only connection to my family was the telephone and letters. One night, in the middle of the night, I was awakened from a dead sleep. I heard my mom yelling my name! It was much too late to call her - she'd have had my head. So, I did the next best thing. I got out of bed and went to the living room so that I would remain awake. And I prayed. I prayed a long time that night. Finally I went back to bed - but, as early as I knew was safe, I called home.

Everything was fine. There was nothing amiss. But, that didn't upset me. I knew that it hadn't been a dream. I knew that I had been called to pray. So, I did.

I don't listen to those promptings often enough. And sometimes I totally ignore God when He is telling me to pray for someone. Why in the world am I being selfish with prayer? That's totally self-centered of me.

Dad and I talked a lot on the telephone during the years that I was away from home. When he knew that something was bothering me or I was struggling with something, he was never afraid to just pray out loud for me on the telephone. Oh, I was a little uncomfortable w/ith it the first time. But, I learned to treasure those moments with him and with God.

I want to be that kind of pray-er. It's hard for me. I don't want to embarrass the person I'm with. I don't want to embarrass people that might be wandering around in the area where I am. What? Guys ... I work in a church!! Where prayer should be a natural outpouring of everything that we do.

When someone comes to you with a concern or a worry ... do you do what I do? As I listen to them, I might pray quietly, but I'm pretty ready with the advice. I'll talk through and encourage others to talk through their problems. I know that is healthy. I know that sometimes people just need to be heard. I'm pretty good at that. I love connecting with my friends on that level. But ... ahhh ... that's where I stop. Why in the world am I afraid to just say, "let me pray with you about this."? I am depriving us of that deeper connection, of the link that can happen when God enters into the conversation. I am depriving us of the reality of seeing His will in whatever is happening.

Prayer is the conversation place between us and our Creator. He says "where two or three are gathered, there I am." You know, I'm pretty polite. I don't ignore people who are in a room with me or in a small group with me. But, I find it quite easy to ignore the One who brought us together. He's right there ... in the room ... I think it's time to have that conversation with Him!