When do you pray? Do you turn to it as your first reflex or your last resort? Is it a lucky charm to help you succeed or is it a personal conversation with your heavenly Father?
The Privilege of Prayer
Prayer by the elders is not a magic formula that guarantees healing. It is a powerful tool, but not a lucky talisman. Not everyone Paul prayed for was healed (2 Timothy 4:20, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9). The early church prayed for Peter to be released from prison and he was. They prayed for James to be released from prison and he was executed.
The Power of Prayer
Real people can receive real results as James 5:16 details: “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” Hezekiah asked God for an extension of life and God granted him another 15 years.
Tragedy visited our church when the 13-year-old grandson of one of our families died suddenly in a boating accident near his family’s vacation cabin. Further compounding the grief and preventing closure was the fact that his body had not yet been discovered and retrieved from the deep lake. A team of 40 volunteer divers searched the lake during daylight for two days with no sign of the young body. I planned to go to the lake the next afternoon to spend some time with the family. I awoke early that third morning grieving and unable to sleep.
A strong compulsion seemed to direct me to go to the lake first thing and not wait until afternoon. Instead of following my to-do list, I followed what I believed to be the Lord’s leading and drove to the lake. While en route, I canceled two previously scheduled morning appointments. I arrived and embraced the devastated grandparents who ushered me into the kitchen. Immediately they asked me to pray specifically for the divers to quickly find their grandson’s body.
We agonized with God and boldly approached “the throne of grace” to beg God’s help and healing. Before I could say “Amen” we heard a knock on the screen door. It was the leader of the diving team. He said simply, “We’ve just found Billy’s body.” It was an immediate answer to an impassioned request.
Ron De Marco writes,
“I’ve prayed many prayers when no answer came
Though I waited patient and long.
But answers have come to enough of my prayers
To keep me praying on.”
