Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. (Col. 1:9)
“Will you please pray for me?” We receive the request, respond with a speedy “of course,” and then forget all about it until we see the person again. Definitely not an intentional omission, but an omission nonetheless. Has this happened to you? I confess I’ve failed more times than I care to remember.
When Paul committed to pray, he prayed. And he kept praying. Personal experience taught him that temptation, persecution, and a host of other dangers await those sincerely serving the Lord. He desired constant prayerful support, and he pledged the same to his ministry partners, both individually and collectively. He knew the powers of darkness lurked around every corner, but he also knew the greater power of the Almighty could change and sustain in all circumstances.
A friend recently taught me a surefire way to fulfill any prayer covenant: pray right then. When she receives a prayer request, she asks, “Do you want to pray now?” Her location matters not in the least. Whether she’s standing shoulder to shoulder in a mall, browsing the produce aisle of the grocery, or waiting in a parking lot for the last school bell to ring, she stops everything and prays. She knows, appreciates, and relies on the power of prayer for herself and for anyone desiring intercession.
Sounds like an appropriate action plan to me!
When you receive your next prayer request, drop everything and pray.
Diana C. Derringer teaches Sunday school and serves with her husband as a friendship family to international university students.
© 2019 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
