Being Prayed For

About a month ago, a young woman came by our church to ask for help. We sat down to talk and she shared with me that she and her boyfriend had been living in his car for the last several nights. They had lost their apartment and were trying to scrape up enough money to get back into some sort of rental. They were still trying to keep their jobs but had nowhere to take showers. She also said she was scared of sleeping in the car. 

Over the years of ministry, I’ve heard a lot of stories. Some of them I’m sure were true, and some of them were cons. I am always aware of that possibility, but I always try to help if I can. You just never know.

In this case, we did not have the resources to help much. But I was able to give her some gift cards to a local grocery store. As she was getting up to leave, she said, “Please pray for us.” I asked if she wanted me to pray for her right then, and she said, “Yes.” And so I prayed.

After the prayer, she looked up and said, “So, that’s what it feels like to be prayed for.” And she smiled.

The problems that young woman faced were deep. And I know that one prayer may not change the struggles she faces. But her response did remind me about the power of prayer, and the power of praying for someone else.  

I wonder who you know who could use a prayer. I wonder who you could be praying for today.

Let us pray: Keep us open, O God, to those most in need. May we ever be looking for ways to help them with our resources. And, may we never fail to lift them up to you in prayer. We trust you again with our own lives. And we ask you to continue to work healing and grace in us so that we might be agents of that same blessing to others. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.