Have you had the occasion to either say, or have said to you, “I’ll pray for you”?
What does this even mean?
I think we toss this word pray and prayer around a little to casually. In the all too often moments after a natural disaster, or a mass shooting, or some other devastating circumstance, the word pray and prayer are offered up. “You’re in my thoughts and prayers.” “Our prayers are with you.” “Lifting you in prayer.”
When we say we are going to be praying for someone, they are in our thoughts and prayers, that’s a solemn and sacred covenant we are committing to. Prayer is not just some word we toss out to make ourselves seem as if we are concerned. Its not something we offer up in order to move on beyond the poignant moment we are encountering. When we offer to pray for someone, that is more than mere words. We are saying we will intercede in prayer with God. Seeking God’s action on behalf of the person we are praying for.
I bring this up because I feel like I hear the word “pray/prayer” a lot. I have to wonder what we mean by even saying the word. Do we mean we will actually pray specifically for a person? Will we lift up their name, their circumstance, their situation? This is an awesome thing for us to do. We are actually going to set aside time to be focused solely on asking God to intervene on another person’s behalf. As I write that, I’m thinking that’s pretty powerful. Knowing someone is willing to go to God on my behalf, how awesome.
We have all heard there’s power in prayer. Do we believe that? Do we act as if there is? Do we pray as if there is? We have examples in the biblical record where prayer changed things. When God was angry with Israel for making a golden calf to worship, Moses prayed and God did not bring disaster on the Israelites.(Exodus 32:9-14). Abraham prayed to God to spare Sodom. Each time he approached God, God agreed to spare Sodom.(Genesis 18:22-33). Of course we know God eventually destroys Sodom because of their wickedness and not extending hospitality to strangers. Hezekiah was informed by Isaiah that he is going to die. When the king prays to God, God spares his life and adds 15 more years.(2 Kings 20:1-6). God sent Jonah to call the city of Nineveh to repent or be destroyed. The people repented and cried out to the Lord, and they were spared.(Jonah 3:4-10)
There are many, many instances of God hearing prayer and changing situations. This is how we know there is power in prayer. We also know that it is a sacred thing to approach God for someone. Not an insignificant thing.
There’s another part to prayer that we oftentimes leave out. Prayer has two parts to it. The first part is praying and asking God to get involved in what we are praying about. The second part is our getting involved to do the work we are asking of God. Prayer inspires hope and leads to acts of compassion. The late Pope Francis told us “prayer and action must be lived in profound unity.” Prayer without concrete action on our part, he said is “fruitless and incomplete.”
When someone tells me they are praying for me, I am humbled and grateful. I don’t take their words lightly. I know that means they will not only pray, but will also engage in actions if needed. If we pray for someone’s health issue, we not only will pray for healing, but will also be there if needed to assist with the healing and recuperation. That’s how prayer works. Prayer is not our excuse to not get further involved. Prayer obligates us to be involved as agents of God’s mercy, grace, healing, forgiveness, compassion.
Knowing that prayer changes things is awe inspiring to me. Knowing that prayer mostly changes me, humbles me in a very profound way.
May God continue to inspire us to pray and act on behalf of those around us, and work in us to make us more like him.
Your companion on the Way,
Pastor Tom