Friends ...Stand in the Gap

“We always thank God for you and pray for you constantly. As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 – 1Thessalonians 1:2-3

Over the past couple of Saturdays we have been talking about friendship. We shared how friends speak the truth in love (week#1), as well as support and strengthen you through tough times (week #2). This week we will end our friendship series with the topic of prayer and how friends stand in the gap for us and with us.

I can remember it as if it was yesterday. As I was walking down the hall at church I ran into Chris, an acquaintance (at the time…now we are friends), who stopped to say hi. We chatted a bit then she asked how she could pray for me. I was surprised because I barely knew her, but I proceeded to tell her my request. Ok so I have to pause here and be honest that I can’t even remember the request I gave that day…but she did.

It was a few weeks later when she asked for an update on my prayer request. I was so blown away that she remembered to pray, and wanted an update especially since there was no depth to our relationship (at that point). Wow what an impact that made on my life. I was so in awe and blessed she cared enough about someone she barely knew and prayed faithfully for my request. I want to be like Chris.  I want to be someone who asks others for prayer requests and remembers to lift them up later. She later explained that she keeps a small spiral in her purse to write down prayer requests so she will not forget them later. What a great idea!

“Share each others burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”-Galatians 6:2

We can lighten the load our friends are bearing as we lift them up in prayer.

Many times I have called out to my close friends asking for prayer because my day has been trying and exhausting. We need to be willing to share our hurts & needs regularly with close friends without allowing pride to worry us about what they might think. Rather we must praise Jesus for strategically placing those ladies there to refresh us as they lift us up in prayer. What a gift!

Prayer also causes us to be more intimate with Christ. Stopping throughout our day to pray, for those in need, causes us to converse and chat with the Lord more. This allows us to be more transparent with Him about our own needs.  When my mom is asked to fervently pray for a need, she puts a small dot sticker on the center of her watch. Every time she looks at her watch she is reminded to pray for that specific need. What a wise mom I have! What a great idea to help remind us to lift up the needs of another!

We also get to partake in everyday miracles. What???? Yep… it was a few weeks ago when my oldest son, James caught the stomach flu. He had thrown up five times in less than an hour. So I sent out a last minute text asking my friends to pray and I truly believe those ladies were a part of a miracle that day. After the text went out my son stopped throwing up almost immediately. I was blown away and it was such a declaration to all involved that prayer and faith will change your day. I was then able to share with others that I witnessed a modern-day miracle all because of their faithfulness to pray. What a great testimony to those who question if He can heal!

Prayer is a powerful tool. Reach out and touch the hem of His garment and be changed for the better. Allow Him to use you to refresh another.  Look beyond yourself today and into the lives He has placed around you. Ask how you can pray for them. Then sit back and marvel as the Lord does some amazing things all because you sacrificed a few minutes to pray.

“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”–Colossians 4:2

Challenge: Ask someone today how you can pray for them? Write it down somewhere and commit to call/email/txt them in a few days to check in. It will mean the world! Then periodically go back and check off those He answered! These will be testimonies you share later about His faithfulness through prayer. 

“The meaning of prayer is that we get hold of God, not of the answer.” - Oswald Chambers