I try to spend time talking with God every day, but Tuesdays are special. On Tuesday mornings I meet with a group of people in an “upper room” at the Oregon Trails Church in Middleton for community prayer. Tuesday night I meet with another group at our own church for prayer. We pray for our world, our nation, the church, the outpouring of God’s Spirit, the unsaved, our communities, first responders, people we know that are going through difficult situations and anything else the Holy Spirit puts on our hearts.
Jesus had a lot to say about praying, the Gospels are full of His admonitions to pray, how to pray, when to pray. And Paul was succinct when he wrote, “pray continually.” [1 Thess 5:7]
I saw a request on Facebook recently. Someone had posted a request regarding a family member who was sick. They asked that we “send healing thoughts.” That, of course, got me thinking about praying and the power of prayer.
The power in prayer rests not in our words. Some of us pray eloquently, some of us pray simply. I doubt the style matters to God. Likewise, let’s never forget the power in prayer does not flow from us (our healing thoughts) – it flows from the One to Whom we make our requests. The power to answer prayer is in God and God alone. Our “healing thoughts” don’t carry any weight or change anything. If anything is going to happen to give life, bring healing, or change circumstances, it will come from God.
Jesus said when we pray, we are to begin … Our Father who art in heaven …. He immediately puts our attention where it belongs on Almighty God.
