Pray Now?
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” Matthew 18:19-20
Whenever even a handful of believers unite under His authority, he is actively present among them, whether for prayer, or in discipline as this verse was used. God hears our prayers and answers them in His way.
It can be so powerful to pray with others. You may not realize just how much it can matter to some. This is one instance that really worked in my life-
I was relatively new to Bear Valley Church, when I went to one of the 1st Christmas Teas. It had been quite a difficult time, and I wanted to feel Christmas joy. My dad passed away in the middle of December of kidney failure, it was long and traumatic; followed a few months later by my beloved grandma Grace. She didn’t want to live without her only son and just kind of gave up.
My other Grandma had grieved with me and sent me a card saying she’d be there for me, which came just before she died suddenly. My youngest sister, Margaret, had been suffering from ovarian cancer during this time, living with first my sister and her family and then moved to my brother and his family at the end. Last Christmas she succumbed to the illness leaving behind her 3-year-old daughter. The remainder of the year had so many things to handle it just flew by.
I was fragile and moving along just fine with work and family, I thought, but I had never dealt with any of my losses. I just handled the next thing and shoved the emotions into my mental locker, which was straining at the hinges.
Donna Otto’s message spoke to me and the worship filled me. The amazing reality of Emmanuel-God with us, and the incredible love of Jesus flooded over me and the bonds broke lose. I was heading to the restroom, crying, when a woman intervened. Of course, giving voice to tears makes you cry harder. This sweet woman listened, helped me process and asked me if she could pray for me. Of course I would, thinking she’d pray during the week for me. “Now?” I asked as she took my hands. I felt so incredibly loved as she prayed. Peace and comfort flowed over me. I never forgot how special it was that someone stopped right then and took the time to bring my grief before the Lord. This was not something that happened in my life.
Ever since then, I have tried to take the opportunity to pray with others immediately, if possible.
Why wait, when taking anxieties, concerns, and worries to our heavenly Father?
“For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand, it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13 -Amen-
-Debbie
Leave a Reply