One of the things that is a common event
in my life is that people will ask me to pray for them, pray with them, or to
pray for some person or circumstance they care about. I see this is a holy privilege that I take
seriously because it is a sign to me that the petitioner believes in God and in
their humility, realizes that all the answers in life are not found in the
things that we can see. Sometimes, I
will stop what I am doing at the time and say a prayer for them or with
them. Other times for all sorts of
reasons, I will make a mental note and pray for that person later. There is no telling how many prayer requests
I have received in the 40 plus years of ministry under my belt. Those requests have been made in places
where you would expect prayer requests like a hospital room and in uncommon
places for prayer request like a
Facebook message. I have received prayer requests from people I just met a few moments earlier and prayer requests from people that I have known for many years. One of the things I have wondered about through the years is (as the late Paul Harvey put it) “the rest of the story”. Whatever happened to that person or in that circumstance? Were our prayers answered?
Facebook message. I have received prayer requests from people I just met a few moments earlier and prayer requests from people that I have known for many years. One of the things I have wondered about through the years is (as the late Paul Harvey put it) “the rest of the story”. Whatever happened to that person or in that circumstance? Were our prayers answered?
In the gospel of Luke, we hear the story
of a time when Jesus was besieged not with a prayer request not from one
person, but a healing request from 10 persons. Read this passage from Luke 17
which says:
11 Now
on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria
and Galilee. 12 As
he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[b] met
him. They stood at a distance 13 and
called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And
as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he
was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and
thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?18 Has
no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
One thing that stands out in this passage
of scripture to me is the fact that only one person out of ten persons who was
healed of leprosy bothers to thank Jesus for their healing. Are we as quick to offer our thanksgiving to
God for his goodness as we are to offer our prayer requests and petitions to
God? Have a joy-filled week. - Pastor Randy Wall
Prayer: O God, I confess my slowness to thank
you for the blessings you give to me without ceasing. Forgive me, and give me an awareness of your
goodness that I might always and everywhere give you thanks and praise; through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
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