As I checked my phone on Saturday, I noticed a message from my daughter. “Mom, can you pray for me”? It went on to say, “I've been sick and throwing up all night." Of course, I stopped right there and said a prayer for her. Later, as I thought about the exchange, it made me smile that when my daughter had a problem, she came to me and asked for prayer. Over the years, I have had others who have stopped and asked me to pray with them. Sometimes they were people that I knew well and at other times, it was someone I barely knew. Yet as I thought about it, I was humbled and honored that people understood that I would stand in the gap for them. I would lift them up before God. Yes, I believe in the power of prayer and I do not always wait for others to ask me to pray for them. However, until now, I never thought about what a privilege it is to know that others see you as a person of prayer. It is truly amazing when I realize that others see me as the kind of person who believes that prayer changes things. I know from my own experience, and I imagine that it is yours too, that I actually ask others to pray for me very infrequently. I guess I somehow think that I will bother others; or that they will think less of me if I ask for prayer. Therefore, if I go to somebody and ask for prayer it really is an honor. What comfort to know that there is someone else who cares about our problems and will talk for us when we can't talk ourselves.
Father,
I want to be the person
That others can trust.
I want to be the one that will lift
The ones who cannot stand on their own
to your throne.
I want others to see in me
Someone who stands before you
And someone that you listen to.
I want to be someone who will not judge but
Who knows that you are close to those who need you.
