Also, the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. God can see what is in people’s hearts. And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way God wants. [Romans 8:26-27 (NCV)]
In yesterday’s message, I wrote that a friend prays and yet I’m amazed how rarely that actually happens. Yes, a friend may pray for someone but how often do we, as friends, pray with that someone? Twice when visiting someone in hospital, a chaplain has dropped in to visit. Twice, the chaplain spoke briefly with us and then turned to leave without offering a prayer. Twice, I was the one who asked for prayer—one time for a prayer of thanksgiving and the other for one of strength and healing. Afterwards, I wondered why these hospital chaplains didn’t offer to pray with us. Isn’t prayer part of their job? As I started to point my finger, I saw three fingers pointing back at me and had to admit that I’m not one for offering spur-of-the-moment prayers either. I asked God not to allow me to leave a prayer unoffered or unsaid.
Last month, shortly after the second hospital incident, I was talking with a recently widowed friend. A trip with flowers to the cemetery had left her sad and teary-eyed. We hugged as I departed. I’d only taken a few steps toward my car when the Holy Spirit convicted me: “Here’s your opportunity—pray with her!” I turned back to my friend, held her hands and lifted her needs up to the Lord. I wasn’t eloquent and couldn’t remember any Bible verses; whatever I said was unremarkable, but that didn’t matter. The Holy Spirit knew my friend’s needs and lifted our prayers heavenward.
I’m a writer, not a prayer warrior, and offering prayer is way out of my comfort zone. My comfort, however, is not high on God’s priority list. Last week, while taking pictures in the park before worship service, I stopped to chat with a young woman who’s started attending our church. I know little about her except that she’s new to the area, belongs to a friendly Dalmatian, and is job hunting. As I stooped to get a photo of her dog, I asked how the job search was going. Answering that she’d not gotten the job for which she applied, I replied with a few encouraging words. When I stepped away to continue taking pictures, I realized my work was not done. Turning back, I asked, “Can we pray?” We held hands and I offered a quick prayer that God would lead this lovely woman to the right job opening. There was nothing memorable or eloquent about my words; they were, however, heartfelt and sincere.
It’s easy to say, “I’ll pray for you,” but a bit harder to actually do it. For many of us, it’s even harder to pray with someone right then and there, but isn’t that what all Christians (not just hospital chaplains) should do? The sincere agreement of two believers in prayer is powerful and effective because the Holy Spirit is with them, guiding their requests. Our prayers don’t have to be eloquent or deeply profound; they just have to be said.
Rich is the person who has a praying friend. [Janice Hughes]
As the weather up north cools, our snowbird neighbors have begun returning to their southwest Florida homes. One neighbor recently arrived from Portland, Oregon, a city that ranks third in a list of cities with the most depressing winters. Their weather forecast alternates between cloudy with rain showers to partly cloudy with a 60% chance of rain and that’s not likely to improve! Their early November temperatures will range from highs in the mid-60s to lows in the mid-40s with a UV index that never gets above a 2. On the other hand, our ten-day forecast fluctuates between sunny and mostly sunny with no more than a 10% chance of rain. Temperatures will rise to the mid-80s during the day and fall to the mid-60s at night; the UV index is 6 or 7. In short, Portland is damp, gray and dreary and we’re dry, warm and sunny (and should wear sunblock). On my neighbor’s first day back in our tropical paradise, while relaxing on her lanai with a book, she happened to fall asleep. Upon waking, hearing the mockingbird’s happy song and feeling the warm gentle breeze on her face, she had a moment of confusion and forgot where she was. Feeling incredibly peaceful, relaxed and refreshed, for a moment she actually thought she’d died and gone to heaven!
Real estate ads can be somewhat misleading. “Needs TLC” usually means structural damage; a “handy-man special” requires rehabbing and money; “waterfront” probably has a basement that floods; “cozy” means really small and “intimate” is even smaller than cozy. “Tear-down,” however, means just that; while the property may have value, the house isn’t worth renovating. In our southwest Florida community, it is not unusual to see advertisements for homes with an asking price in the seven digit territory (none of which need TLC, handymen, have flooded basements, are cozy or intimate.) Since it’s difficult to believe there’s anything needing improvement in such expensive houses, the shocker is that some of those homes are listed as tear-downs. That hefty asking price is for the privilege of tearing down the existing structure and spending several millions more to build another one in its place.
I have a love-hate relationship with my camera and its autofocus. An enormous golden silk spider hangs over the boardwalk we take through the mangroves to the beach. Officially the Nephila clavipes, the female of this species is the largest non-tarantula-like spider in North America. This impressive arachnid has spun her giant orb-like web high above the walkway. She often scares tourists when they glance up to see her suspended above their heads. While I managed to get a shot that of spider, I’d hoped to get a few more of others that have spun their webs down closer to the boardwalk. Autofocus, however, was my enemy. Because their webs were nestled in the trees, the camera looked right through the spiders and focused on the large branches and leaves behind them. My camera focused only on the spider when nothing was behind the creature, but it had plenty on which to focus when pointed at the spiders in the mangroves. The ease of having a small point-and-shoot camera that is so easy to use keeps me loving (but occasionally hating) it.
The Israelites were told to trust God for their daily manna and not to save any for the following day. Those that kept any manna found it spoiled and full of maggots the next morning. God wanted them to trust Him to meet their daily needs. Throughout the Bible we are assured that God will provide for us. Why then do we have such difficulty believing in His provision?
Devotions of the Heart 