Friday, August 12, 2011

The Privilege of Prayer

Ahhh, a day to clean house.  When our children were small we spent a lot of time at home.  Now that they're older summer has a different pace.  Today was an unusually quiet day at home.  No bags to pack.  No children to send off.  No laundry to chase.  Instead I found joy in cleaning bathrooms and floors--and I'm not being sarcastic!  It's lovely to see the smile of shiny floors and hear the squeak of clean shower stalls.

It's hard to listen to music, however, while vacuuming.  So against the dull roar God brought individuals to mind:  a Muslim couple and their premature baby, a young cellist seeking a job, a young man at BYU for the first time, a reunited military family, the list rolled on.  As I prayed for each, for God's personal work and revelation in their lives, the sun seemed to open on the beauty of prayer.  I have no way of knowing how each of them is right now.  And they have no idea who is praying--or that anyone in particular is praying--just for them.  But as God answers prayer and speaks into their lives, gratitude is lifted to Him and Him alone.  It's not my prayers or my concern or my interest in their lives that makes a difference; it's God Himself.  What a joy to be anonymous in prayer! 

It was then that my mind turned to God's provision in my own life and how thankful I am for the anonymous voices that have echoed God's work.  What a great God--to prompt and empower His people to serve Him through the simplicity of entrusting others to His care!

"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins"  (Colossians 1:9-14, NKJV).