Today's Prayer List

There are quite a few physical difficulties on my prayer list right now:

A young mother under testing to determine whether or not she has MS, ALS, thyroid imbalance and/or a combination;

A woman more my age whose memory difficulties may indicate Alzheimer’s, and her husband who is experiencing mini-strokes;

A young man, previously in Iraq and scheduled to return this fall, but will not because of an accident Sunday that put him in ICU with a broken neck;

A young woman awaiting a liver transplant, living with the physical pressure of fluid build up and subsequent drainage as she waits for someone healthy to die.

An older man having bits and pieces of his joints removed over the years – this time’s a knee – knowing the surgery and the therapy are worth it, but the exchange of one pain for another ...

Another man losing a portion of his body due to cancer, hoping by doing so that the spreading of the disease will be stopped;

A woman older than I working with her doctor to get a pacemaker set correctly to keep her heart from stopping.

What do they have in common besides prayers being said for them? A conviction that Jesus Christ is their Lord.

Does that mean each will experience a miracle and be healed? Probably not on this earth.

Then why the prayers? The “Why” is what makes being a Christian not a simple thing. We do not believe that physical miracles are an every day occurrence among Christians. We understand that being born into this world leads eventually to death. That is the natural course of events. It occurs from the cellular level through the celestial

We know that each of these loved ones will eventually die, but they will do so In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; (Titus 1:2 KJV)

They also know that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (Romans 5:3-4 KJV)

It is not a rose garden, but heaven itself that is promised for Christians: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21 KJV)

OK, all of that is well and good – but, if it’s a natural progression, why pray? Because we’ve been shown it is God’s will, and it matters:

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (James 5:13-14 KJV)

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16 KJV)

And, our example – which does not request miracles, just God’s will:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)