A Prayer Suggestion

Greg Gwin
04/06/14 - Prayer

Do you feel good about your prayers? Do you pray as often as you think you should? Are you satisfied that you pray about all the right things? Would you like to do better in this important matter of prayer? Surely all of us sense our need to improve.

There are, no doubt, many good suggestions that are helpful concerning prayer. But here we offer just one simple one. Use your directory! That's right — use your church directory to help you to improve your prayers. Here are the benefits, as we see them:

1. It will be a big boost to your brothers and sisters in Christ to have you praying in their behalf. The word of God commands us to "pray for one another" (James 5:16). Even the apostle Paul begged, "Brothers, pray for us" (2 Thess. 3:1). So, we will be fulfilling a command and assisting our fellow Christians. And by using the directory we'll be sure to include every single member of the local congregation.
2. This process, if followed by all, will also insure that you are the recipient of the prayers of everyone else. What a comfort to know that everyone in the church is praying for you!
3. And, there's yet another benefit in this. Unless we miss our guess, when you get out the directory and begin to try to word a specific prayer for every other member in the local congregation you are going to discover that there are some folks that you simply don't know. At least, you don't know them well enough to know what their real needs are. And, when you've realized that, we hope you will begin immediately to remedy the situation by taking the appropriate steps to get better acquainted with those people. Remember, we are to "love one another with kindly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor" (Romans 12:10).

And so, let's pray for each other. Using your directory may be just the tool you need to do a better job.