“All I Can Do Is Pray”

“pray continually;” 1 Thessalonians. 5:17. “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” James 4:2 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

I recently went out to dinner with five of my friends. Before our meal came I asked if I could pray for each of them because I knew each of their immediate needs. I prayed for one lady’s father who was in the hospital, for one man’s son who has serious medical decisions to make, one husband’s wife who has a bad back, for one woman’s troubled son and for cancer to be removed from the other lady’s life. All I could do for these friends was to pray.

When I got finished praying one of the gentlemen said, “What about you?” Yes, I have needs also but I said, “Oh, I will pray about me before I go to bed.” I was happy I forgot about my needs while praying for others. It was a good feeling and I pray it will happen more often!

I have another wonderful Christian friend who was not at the supper that I know prays every night for my family and me. She writes a long list of those she wants to pray for. I know she is much more dedicated to praying for others than I will ever be. I am not proud to say that I only occasionally pray for her and her family. I do not always follow through with the desire to do the doing of, “all I can do is pray”.