The Prayers of Many

Lately, I feel like I have heard of one difficult circumstance after another that people around me are walking through.  In particular, there are two precious families with recent cancer diagnosis'.  Sometimes, I feel at a loss of what I can do--particularly because neither of these families live close by, so we are not able to offer any kind of practical help.  

One thing these families have asked for repeatedly is prayer, and they have praised God loudly and boldly when specific prayers have been answered.

This morning during my bible reading I was reminded of the great importance of prayer by the multitude for our fellow brothers and sisters in crisis (emphasis added): 

'We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.'
                                                                    2 Corinthians 1:8-11

So often we question whether our prayers make a difference.  The enemy throws us many a doubtful thought that praying will really change anything.  Often, great students of God, caught up in the theology regarding the sovereignty of God, will begin to question whether prayer can really make a difference to a God who has already written the beginning and the end.  Before we know it, we've become so learned and intellectual about the whole subject that our 'faith like a child' mentality that brought us to God in the first place is all but forgotten.

Truth is, the Bible tells us in 2 Cor. 1:10-11 that Paul and his comrades were delivered by God as a result of other believers' prayers AND God extended his gracious favor in answer to the prayers of many!

We will never be able to wrap our finite minds around the mystery of why our prayers make a difference in the world of our sovereign, infinite God.  And if we could wrap our minds around it--well, there'd be no need for God anymore, now would there?

My faith was enlightened and encouraged this morning as I read this truth about prayer in God's Word.  It gave me a renewed sense of purpose and a yearning to not miss out on being a part of the thankful 'multitude'. 

Bottom line, our calling as Christians is to pray.  It is not optional.  Oh, may we not fill our days with lesser things and miss out on this calling!

“You may as soon find a living man that does not breath, as a living Christian that does not pray.” ~ Matthew Henry