Praying

How’s your prayer list?  No, I didn’t ask about your prayer life – I asked about your prayer list.  I assume you pray, even if it’s only “Oh, God! Help me!” when you haven’t been listening to Him.

I’m talking about your prayer list.  If you really don’t have one, take a moment and create one in your mind.

Who is on your prayer list?

What kind of list do you keep?

Why do you keep a prayer list?

Who’s missing from your prayer list?

Who has been removed from your prayer list?

How often do you refer to your prayer list?

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (Colossians 1:9 KJV)

Let me answer some of the questions from my own – I do keep a prayer list.  In fact, I keep more than one.  I keep a PUSH (Pray until something happens) list.  Often times names will remain on that list even after ‘something’ happens because I’ve learned more and know of other needs in that person/family.  I also have a Secret Prayer Partner list – once becoming my SPP, even though that lasts just a couple of months, the name remains on my prayer list. 

I have a Needs list that changes rather often, usually created during Wednesday evening services when we hear prayer requests.  Some may get moved to PUSH, but most are short term and drop off quickly.

My prayer lists are in my iPhone, so they are always at hand and easily referenced and updated. I keep the list as a reminder, to keep the names and requests before me. My prayers are not confined to specific hours of the day – a name pops up in my mind and I’ll pray for that person right then.

Who’s missing?  Any person who needs a prayer and hasn’t asked me to include them.  Well, not all of them.  There are times I can discern that a person could use a prayer and offer it without letting them know.  God knows.

Those removed? Those no longer here in this world.  They don’t need our prayers.  In many cases, though, their family members do, so names change.  I just prayed for one Christian mother’s son.  She’s gone, but he has turned his back on the God she loved. There are a couple of such on the list.  Removals don’t happen often at all.

How often do I refer to the lists? Not as much as I should.  I can almost give you every name, every situation, simply from memory, but I do need to look at them more.  Thanks for the reminder.  I’m still trying to reach a specific goal:

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV)

Even when I don’t know how to ask, I can pray for God’s will to be done.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26 KJV)

In fact, that’s the best prayer of all!!