It has been
heartening the positive reaction I have had from many churches on the idea of
asking shut-in members to pray for those on their prayer list. This is what God
led me to share with the churches we visit:
This
is something I feel called to share with you.
A
neighbor of mine whom I’ll call Audrey, because that’s her name, was in the
last stage of life. She had been lamenting for twenty years since becoming a
widow that she didn’t know why God wasn’t letting her die.
During
one of our conversations we agreed to pray for each other. Soon after that, God
put it on my heart to ask Audrey to pray for those on the prayer list from a
church we had visited. My wife enlarged the list and I passed it along to
Audrey with the request that she pray for each person. Shortly thereafter, God
nudged me to extend this request to the churches we visit.
I
would ask that you extend that same request to your members who are shut in. Being
asked to pray for others has several benefits: it helps them feel like part of
the church, it gives them a sense of purpose, and helps them connect with God.
You have one more powerful prayer warrior praying, and God alone knows the
results that might come about from these prayers.
I
pray this is something you will do, if you don’t already. I know God will bless
it. Audrey knows too…He took her home mid-December.
Many have had a
similar idea under consideration and a few had just started to engage their
shut-in members as prayer warriors.
I believe part
of why the prayers from those who are shut in are so effective is their empathy
for the pain others suffer. When you are stuck at home or in the hospital, you gain
a different perspective on the pain of others and the pain management therapy
of praying for them.
Maybe we can
all use prayer for others to overcome our problems and pains.
Our
prayer:
Thank
You, Lord, for encouraging us to pray for others with the same compassion You
have shown to us. Amen.
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