Spiritual Exercise

A few weeks back our pastor was away but left a terrific sermon behind, delivered extremely well by the headmaster at one of the local Christian high schools. That sermon really touched me in a special way. You see, it was focused on prayer, a topic very near and dear to me as you have probably already surmised by the topics I publish here. But there was a section of the sermon that was troubling to me. It should not be, for it was the statement that God hears all prayer, whether by one or my many. But what about multiplying the power of prayer? How many of us utilize prayer chains so that we can get as many  people praying for a need as possible? Was the pastor's message right and if so, what does that mean for my mission to help prayer chains be more productive (by productive, I am in no way indicating that we should count prayers answered, but that we should assure that all needs are being prayed for in a timely manner)?

The pastor is right, but that does not mean that we shouldn't have prayer chains, ask others to pray for our needs, or for that matter multiply the power of prayer.

God's will be done. A powerful statement and an important statement. What it does not mean is that God is controlling everything. He certainly could if He wanted, but does not, for He gave us free will which allows us to make choices that will impact outcomes. He tells us "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John 14:14). The devil wants us to think that it doesn't matter if we pray because God will do it anyway. This is not what Jesus spoke about in the above verse. God wants us to ask, and if we ask in His Son's name, He will provide. So certainly more people asking God to do His will for a person's cause is multiplying God's glory. For certainly if He is pleased with one soul praying to Him in the relationship He intended, He will be ever so more pleased that more people are praying. That is what God wants from us, that close relationship that only prayer can provide.

I read recently an author's account of embarking on what he called prayer walks. He would walk through a neighborhood, praying for the members of each household as he passed. Shining a spiritual spotlight if you will, pointing out each family to God and asking for His blessings upon them. What a great idea for combining a brisk walk for physical exercise into spiritual exercise as well.

When the weather is nice and I venture away from my treadmill and out into the local neighborhoods for a run, I do a little of what this author conveyed. Sure, I have my iPod pumping some upbeat music to keep me going, but many times, I turn the volume down so as to just drown out some of the traffic noise, but not my thoughts. I often pray for strength on these runs, sometimes praying for what I am about to undertake in my day.

This morning, a nice cool morning before the heat of the day sets in, I thought a little less selfishly and prayed for the concerns of people I may not have even met yet as I ran by their houses as the sun was rising above the horizon. I think on my next time I will go a step further and pray for those passing by in vehicles. I will pray for their safe travels as they start their days. And maybe one or two may pray for me as they pass.

May God bless you as you start this new week. You can depend on Him, He will do it.