Pray For One Another

It took many years as a Christian before I really knew that everything I did was equally important to God. So, whether I’m being a wife, a mum, a grandma or a nurse, which are the things I seem to do most of, or just having a day off and doing whatever I fancy, He’s absolutely interested, and part of that. However, today’s scripture has always been very important to me, because, early on in my Christian life, I felt that this what God was calling me to do. And it’s such a privilege, especially as part of the Ministry team at an Ellel centre, to pray for someone that they may be healed

The next verse states that the ‘prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results’. Of course, none of us is righteous of ourselves. We’re righteous because we’ve accepted the gift of life that Jesus bought for us, and are now what the bible talks about as ‘in Him’. So now we can enjoy the benefits of His righteousness. Alleluia! If we confess our sins to Him and depend on His righteousness we can be powerful in prayer and see wonderful results.

I’ve never thought of Elijah as an ordinary man, but that’s what James says he is. And how much his prayers achieved! Reading through Paul’s letters, I noticed just how often he tells his readers that he prays for them. Surely Paul was a man who seemed to have a large measure of wisdom from God.

Recently, my family and I have been going through some testing times, especially regarding health issues, and it’s been such a comfort and encouragement to know that there are brothers and sisters ‘in Christ’ who’re praying for us. As far as I know, I haven’t seen any dramatic miracles in my situation, but there is a confidence that God’s there for us in the midst of it all, and is at work, and in control.

Another wise man that I know said to me recently that we sometimes seem to take a long time to heal. That really helped me at the time. I know God put healing into our bodies when He designed us. There’s a natural healing process, which does take time. And we read in Psalm 41:3, ‘The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.’

In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus encourages us to persist in prayer in difficult situations, and to trust God. Let’s do that today and pray for someone we know to be healed.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your encouragement to us to persist in prayer, and for the example from Your word to trust You, and pray in what sometimes seem to be impossible circumstances. Help us by Your Spirit Lord. Amen.