Romans 1:8-20 - I know an old lady who swallowed...
"...I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers..." Romans 1:8–10 (English Standard Version)
Years ago my wife and I knew a little old lady that prayed for everyone--and she'd let everyone know about it. I can't say for certain, but at times it appeared that perhaps her actual prayers were swallowed up in the importance of announcing that she was being a "prayer warrior."
Then there are other people who say, "I'm praying for you," and it carries the weight of sincerity and the depth of a relationship. Their prayers are specific, targeted, ongoing. They themselves aren't the central feature of the praying.
But sometimes, like the little old lady, we might be tempted to make more of announcing our prayers than in actual praying.
Then there may be certain people who don't want God. They don't want our prayers and it's "casting pearls before swine" to tell them.
If we promise to pray and then don't, or if we pray in order to brag about it later, then we need to reassess our prayer habits.
The bottom line, though, is that it's always appropriate to sincerely pray for others, and usually an encouragement to tell them when we do.
Father, prompt us to pray for others throughout the day, and even into the night, and to let them know that they are being remembered in those prayers. Amen.
Years ago my wife and I knew a little old lady that prayed for everyone--and she'd let everyone know about it. I can't say for certain, but at times it appeared that perhaps her actual prayers were swallowed up in the importance of announcing that she was being a "prayer warrior."
Then there are other people who say, "I'm praying for you," and it carries the weight of sincerity and the depth of a relationship. Their prayers are specific, targeted, ongoing. They themselves aren't the central feature of the praying.
But sometimes, like the little old lady, we might be tempted to make more of announcing our prayers than in actual praying.
Then there may be certain people who don't want God. They don't want our prayers and it's "casting pearls before swine" to tell them.
If we promise to pray and then don't, or if we pray in order to brag about it later, then we need to reassess our prayer habits.
The bottom line, though, is that it's always appropriate to sincerely pray for others, and usually an encouragement to tell them when we do.
Father, prompt us to pray for others throughout the day, and even into the night, and to let them know that they are being remembered in those prayers. Amen.
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