Jump Start # 3706
Ephesians 1:16 “Do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers”.
He sat across from me at the airport while awaiting my next flight. He was young, late teens or early 20s. He had long stringy hair that was purple. He had satanic earrings in his ears. His black t-shirt had the word “Death” on it. He had knee patches on his jeans that had other colorful words on them. He didn’t sit down, he flopped. His body language was anger and don’t mess with me. For a brief moment, we made eye contact. I smiled and asked him how he was doing. He replied with a grunt. His face was glued to his phone and he never looked up, nor looked at me again.
I thought about that kid today. It’s been several months since this encounter. I said a prayer for him this morning. I wondered if anyone has ever said a prayer for him, EVER?
In our verse today, Paul was praying for the Ephesian brethren. He was thankful for them. Have you ever given thought about praying for strangers? Why pray for someone you don’t know?
Here are some thoughts:
First, everyone needs the Lord. It’s hard to know someone’s story in a few brief moments. However, there are things that we know. Everyone struggles with choices. What should I do? Everyone has battles to fight, demons to overcome and mountains they must climb. All of us do. There is not a person you meet today, that does not need prayer.
If we are not careful, we build imaginary monasteries around our fellowship. The truth belongs to us, we think. Prayers ought to be for just our people, we think. And, those distorted ideas easily lead to pride and self righteousness. Paul’s words to Timothy were to pray for all who are in authority. Few Christians were in governmental roles in those early days. So, when we pray for ourselves, our families and just us, we soon can believe that God is just for us. Like the child who doesn’t want to share, God is mine and you can’t have Him.
The people in the grocery store need prayers. Those in hospital beds, as well as the medical staff taking care of them, need prayers. Your child’s teacher needs prayer. Your neighbor needs prayer. The guy who brings packages to your door, needs prayer. The person who brings your food to the table when you eat out, needs prayer. Soon, your eyes open and you’ll see that everyone needs prayer.
Second, how can I prayer for a stranger when I don’t know anything about him? Where do I begin? What do I say to the Lord? First, you ask the Lord to open that person’s heart. May they see the Lord in kindness. You pray that they may have a good day. You pray that they will be drawn to God’s word. As you see things, you pray. You pray that someone’s anger lessens and that they find peace in their hearts. As you see a worried person, you pray that answers become available and that they would learn that many things that bother us shouldn’t. You see someone tired, you pray that they find some rest.
Third, we likely will never know the outcome of those prayers. I doubt I will ever run into my purple haired, knee patched kid again. Will he have a long life or a short one? Will he make wise choices or fail in life? Will he marry, have a family and one day honor the Lord? I said a prayer for him at the airport and now, months later, I said another prayer for him this morning. God can do great things. We know this because He has already. Lydia’s heart was opened by the Lord. A scared jailer, listened to the words of God by one of his prisoners.
So often people will say, “I don’t know what to do for that person.” You can pray. You can pray for that cancer patient. You can pray for that new widow. You can pray for that tired parent. You can pray for that confused teen. You can pray for those that win elections and those that lost elections.
A person of prayer. Once this gets in your DNA, everywhere you look, you see someone and a quick prayer is fired from your heart to Heaven. What a beautiful world this would be if more would say, “I’m going to mention you in my prayer.” Pray more and argue less. Pray more and complain less. Pray more and worry less.
I’m praying for you…
Roger