"I'll keep you in my prayers." or
"I'll be praying for you."
How many times have you said this to someone and then failed to follow through? I admit that I am guilty. I know I have said it and genuinely meant to do so. I really did! Most of the time I do pray, right then, right there (albeit silently). But, again, I am guilty...
Prayer changes lives. It alleviates the hurting through tough times. It provides hope for restoration. And prayer battles the enemy. That's why prayer is not a casual promise.
Just today, I found out a sweet girl I team taught with last year is experiencing complications with her pregnancy (due April 1). Jessica has been told not to go back to work until she meets with a "high risk pregnancy" doctor on Thursday. I told a few other teachers about this and how worried I am for her. IMMEDIATELY, one of them said we should stop right then, hold hands and pray for her. And so we did - right there in my classroom during our planning period. What a beautiful prayer it was! An African-American woman, her deep, rich voice resonating with the strong faith she had, prayed for the healing and safety of Jessica and that precious baby. What a testimony: She didn't just agree that we should pray for Jessica. She did it, right then and there!
Am I saying that every case warrants this beautiful story? No... I just need to remember that the gift of prayer is powerful. Not a casual gift... a meaningful gift... a powerful gift.
