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Listen while you read: "Hark The Glad Sound"1 (Lyrics) |
Philippians 1:4 – Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy. (KJV)
2 Timothy 1:3 – I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day. (KJV)
Every day, in numerous instances, be it personally, locally, or globally, there is an overwhelming need for prayer. An uncountable number of people pray for loved ones, for friends, for friends of friends, and for those not even known to them … and who likely never will be.
We believe that God hears, listens to, and answers our prayers, not perhaps with the results that we want, though with what God considers necessary. Jesus promised, "If two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:19 NRSV). Accordingly, each of these devotionals is accompanied by the PrayerLine, where readers are invited to post their prayer requests.
To the right of most prayer requests is a little button with the words, I prayed for you. We can click on that to let the person requesting the prayer know that someone has prayed for them, regardless of whether it's something that they are requesting for themselves or for someone else.
After reading each prayer, I touch the screen and say, Lord, hear my prayer. Then, often, but not always, I click on the button with the understanding that the prayer petitioner would know that I had prayed for them, but admittedly, not ever giving it further thought.
Not, that is, until I was on the other side of the PrayerLine, requesting prayers for someone, did I realize how important it is to let people know that their prayers are seen and supported by anonymous, caring people.
Within the past five months, I've had two occasions to request prayers on behalf of someone else. I found out that at the end of each day, the clicks are tallied and a report is sent to the petitioner to let them know how often their prayer was lifted up. The report also includes any encouraging messages that people have left after clicking on that little button.
Words escape me to express fully how heartwarming and encouraging it is to receive that report each day and pass it along to the person for whom my prayer was requested.
That support is a gift that we can freely give to someone, with just the simple click of a little button. How much easier could it be?
Prayer: Lord, You have given us the gift of prayer, whether lengthy or with a few simple words such as I prayed for you today or May I pray for you? In those times when we may be at a loss for words to pray, thank You that You have given us the words of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. It is through Your name that we pray and give thanks for each day. Amen.
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Thursday, October 10, 2024 – In France — We were blessed with a team from Canada. They were an enormous encouragement to us, doing street evangelism, passing out 1500+ invitations, and praying with many as we shared the Gospel. The Lord is raising a new church in France with a dozen of us meeting every Sunday; faithful believers who desire to grow in the Word of God and in fellowship.
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Thank you for calling attention to this ministry.
Thank you, Mary. A great reminder. God bless!
Thank you, Mary, for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Blessings.
I didn’t know that’s how it works. How wonderful! I will be more conscious of it in future. Thanks.
I never really thought about that icon before. Thank you for this. I will use it now as I add my prayers to the others.
I am a strong believer in prayer and have pressed that little button too.
Now I will do it more often.
Thank you.
Hi, Mary,
Thanks for your devotional.
Last night I was reading my daily devotional and it was also about prayer.
Marydee,
Thank you for this reminder.
May God continue to bless you and yours.
Amen.
Dear Mary, I haven’t seen any of your devotionals before. I hope this will not be your last. How true that we take for granted the importance of the prayer requests posted until someone we know NEEDS them. I love your idea of touching the screen and saying “Lord hear my prayer.” May God especially bless you today.
Good Morning Mary,
I appreciated your devotional this morning. Yes, prayer is so important and needed for so many situations in our life and the lives of others. Praying for patience to wait for God’s answer to our prayers is for sure an important prayer. He has the right and timely answer for our situation.
Blessings and enjoy a great day.
(B.C.)
Good morning Mary and Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for your devotion on Prayer! You are so right, God has given us the gift of prayer and there are so many examples of prayers in the Bible. “May I pray for you” I do pray for you, all the writers and all the staff that provide this valuable devotion.
May God Bless and show you mercy and grace.
Thank you!
Well said. I too touch my screen or just refer to God about the screen in front of me.
Sometimes I do leave a message, the hope is always the same, that peace and comfort would come to those I will never meet.
There are no lessons about how to do any of these things, therefore it must come from the heart.
It’s the first thing I do every morning, not out of duty but rather a privilege encouraged by God’s word, the Bible.
Good Morning Mary,
JOY… if I look at everything, like a child looks at something for the first time, I feel excitement and JOY. Let’s not take everything for granted… birds bathing in a bird bath or puddle… how lovely is that??? The birds look so happy and that gives fills me with JOY and doing at least ONE good deed a day can fill me with joy. I love to see other people happy and I like to think I am showing they are worthy to be loved… even by someone who doesn’t even know them. I can’t wait to have an opportunity to do a good deed to show people they are loved… like Jesus loves us!
Thanks for the good deeds you do by praying for those who ask.
Mary, your devotional is so true. I know this firsthand and it really encouraged me knowing that many people were praying for me. But I never thought to tell people like you did. Good for you. And you told it perfectly. It may encourage more people to pray for others also and to send an encouraging note to the person. I have a great friend of 4 years from this encouragement note.
A 4 year survivor of cancer.