The Power of Prayer
This last Friday night a group of us - including Eva and myself met in the school hall and experienced a wonderful Life Group gathering.
Our children were busy enjoying a movie and building an epic wooden train set. At one point I looked over and I could see the kids all coordinating together on how to construct this mega railway.
The most encouraging moment, however, came at the end of the night when we shared our points of prayer and lifted each other up to the Lord with prayers of faith, trust, and confidence in God's goodness. Personally as a family we have been experiencing a sense of tiredness - a need for rest, I shared this need and then was incredibly encouraged as Rhi prayer for us as a family.
It is an incredibly encouraging thing to hear other people pray for you! Since then, and this may seem like a little thing but as a family we found some rest - in what seems like a small thing, an afternoon visit to the local nursery.
This experience exemplifies the power of prayer in our faith-sharing journey. Prayer is deeply strengthening and encouraging as we connect with one another. But its power extends even further. Our prayers have the potential to be used by God to deliver us from life's greatest troubles.
In our "Faith Shared" series, we have been delving into the crucial role of prayer within Christian community building as Jesus envisioned it.
Prayer is essential, yet challenging to cultivate, particularly in a society dominated by techniques and technology. While these resources are valuable, they should never replace our belief in the power of prayer.
Jesus sought to restore prayer to its rightful place among His people. When He entered the temple courts, Jesus was moved to anger by the commercialization that had corrupted a house meant for prayer (Mark 11:15-17). Jesus reminded them that God's house should be a house of prayer for all nations, free from human commerce and priorities.
In the early church, prayer was paramount. The Apostle Paul testifies to this in 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, recounting how he was delivered from deadly peril through the prayers of others.
Paul's experience teaches us that even in seemingly impossible situations, prayer is a powerful tool in God's Kingdom. By praying for one another, we become helpers and partners in God's work.
As a church, we are called to be a house of prayer. When we hear of someone facing visa issues, financial hurdles, health crises, mental health battles, or overwhelming life challenges, our most immediate response should be to help through prayer. God's powerful help comes through our prayers for one another.
Psalm 65:1-2 reminds us that God answers prayer, drawing people to Himself. As we pray together, we become a living testimony to God's power and provision.
Let's make our community a place of prayer—for each other and the world. Through prayer, we build our faith and support one another in the most practical and powerful ways. Amen.