I’m in my car, driving early on a Thursday morning, when the young woman behind me flashes her lights. Am I going too slow for her? Daring to drive 40 mph because that’s the speed limit? That must be so because she’s trying to pass me, looking impatient when I glance in my rearview mirror to see what she wants. Suddenly, she switches lanes and swerves around me and zips around the next two cars. Seconds later, she swerves back into my lane, speeding ahead only to catch the next red light — along with everyone else she had passed.
My first reaction, sadly, is typical: What is her problem?
It’s the question of the hour these days. Not what is my problem, but what’s the other guy’s issue? We’ve settled into “us vs. them” thinking, knowing full well there’s nothing godly about such a crotchety mindset. I’m guilty, too. More than not, I can be far more concerned about my own life than someone else’s.
The Holy Spirit, however, is our gracious guide. Before the light changes and the young woman screeches off, I find myself heeding His loving nudge to take a second look. Soon a thought occurs: What if this young woman is in trouble or facing an emergency? Maybe she’s racing to the hospital or rushing to work to battle a real crisis or to face unfair criticism.
I can’t know answers to such questions, but I see clearly what I can do. I can pray. Why? Because it is right. Why right? Because God calls us to pray. Jesus, speaking to His sleepy disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, urged it this way:
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.
Matthew 26:41 (NIV)
The Apostle Paul, likewise, in his letter to Timothy, said this:
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.
1 Timothy 2:1 (NIV)
That’s exactly what I need to hear this morning. Watch and pray. For all people. Not watch and complain, gripe, put down, or suspect the worst of others. The temptation to go negative is so powerful, as Jesus knew, that He calls us to watch out for that risk and then to pray — fervently and sincerely.
So that’s what I yielded to do. Considering the young driver as she slammed on the gas, her car shrieking off, I whispered three heartfelt little words: “Help her, Lord.”
After all, she was in distress. And me? I needed a more loving outlook. I also need daily prayer myself. So help her, Lord. Then, O God, help me.
Funny how praying for somebody else circles back graciously to me — yes, to all of us.
A writer friend, Amy Julia Becker, speaks of that encircling prayer grace in her latest book, White Picket Fences: Turning Toward Love in a World Divided by Privilege. She reflects on the line in the Lord’s Prayer that says, “Give us this day our daily bread,” and she writes:
What pops out to me is the corporate nature of those words. It isn’t “Give me this day my daily bread” or “Give my family our daily bread.” [Instead] Jesus instructs us to pray very differently. His prayer includes me, but it is so much bigger than me. Give us. All of us. . . . I’m not just praying for what I need . . . It’s about entering into the needs of others and imploring for all of us.
That includes a young woman I don’t know who was racing through life on that early morning, obviously needing something. First, however, the Lord says she needs Him — so, pray for her. The instruction is so clear, I can’t miss it.
Thus, I humbly propose the same to us this morning. Let us pray. Pray, indeed, for all of us because we all need Him. Even if we don’t vote the same, don’t look the same, don’t pray the same. Or if our problems can seem complicated and a little crazy, and we’re not always sure how to explain them.
Even so, let us pray.
I’m a single momma trying to heal after an abusive relationship. I want to be the best momma possible for my amazing, lively daughter. Please pray that God guides my parent saying that she knows just how much she is loved, supported and wanted. Please also pray for my healing.
Elizabeth,
Your request for prayers shows that you ARE being a wonderful momma to your little girl. The best position we can be in is one of humility wherein we are asking for the Lord’s help. Praying for you and your daughter right now. I believe she knows how much she’s loved and wanted and will one day see her courageous mother who saved her from an abusive and toxic environment.
Love and hugs,
Bev xo
Amen, dear Bev. Your gracious love is a balm.
Beautiful Elizabeth, may God hear and bless your humble and beautiful prayer. Your daughter is so blessed to have you in her life. Thank you for blessings this space also with your hopeful prayer.
I loved this, Patricia!
To God be the glory. Thank you, beautiful Aliza!
In Courage,
This post reminds me of an old Stephen C. Chapman song “Let us Pray”. It starts off saying I hear you saying your heart is breaking. You’ve got troubles in the making & you’re asking if I’ll be praying for you please. In keeping with convention I say yes with good intentions to pray later making mention of your needs. Chorus: Let us pray, let us pray, everywhere in every way Every moment of the day, it is the right time For the Father above, He is listening with love And He wants to answer us, so let us pray He is inviting us to pray always anywhere you are for everyone you can think of.
I could use prayers for my hubby. He works weekends Sat. Sun. Mon. 3 long 12 hr shifts at big local hospital doing CTs. The job is becoming to much for him. The patients are tougher-dementia, heavy set. etc. Most can’t get off stretcher onto CT table so he has to pull them over. He truly hates his job. So many people have left since he started there 5 years ago (been with company 32 years). They are down to no permanent graveyard techs, 2 weekend techs helping out during week, 2 week day tech rotating 7 graveyard shifts, 1 floater, 2 trainees. The workload is crazy. Last weekend 3 techs did 100 scans in 1 day. He would love an outpatient CT job. He applied for one & never got an interview then found out it was filled. Made him very sad.
Thank you prayer warriors. You are the best!!
Blessings 🙂
Beth,
You are a loyal prayer warrior. It is a privilege to pray, right now, for your husband to get a less demanding job! Praying in earnest!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Lord help me keep my mind focused on you. I pray for all that we can look to you during this difficult time we are living in.
Amen, Patrice!
Please pray for 5 year old Carson and his mommy in the hospital after a serious car accident. Both are seriously injured and will need expert care to recover. Prayer is always the answer. Blessings to all on this Sunday morning.
Our Father, we bring before you Carson and his mom. We pray for healing, for wisdom for the hospital staff and for peace and comfort as they deal not only physically but emotionally with the automobile crash. We know you are holding them in Your hands and in Your heart
Dear Elizabeth,
I will be praying for you and your little girl. I am a widow with two teen boys and parenting alone can be overwhelming. God is the Perfect Husband and Father. Walk closely with Him and He will step in when you can’t. Our God is the Great Healer. He has healed so much pain, trauma and hurt in my heart. I know He will do the same for you.
Heavenly Father,
Please shower Elizabeth with Your love and peace. Please heal the broken pieces of her heart. Give her strength and wisdom so she can be the mother You want her to be.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Patricia,
Beautiful! What if all of us had the knee-jerk reaction to pray instead of immediately jumping to accusatory complaints. Even when people do inexplicably hateful things to others, it is sure sign that they need prayer. Let my first impulse always be to pray.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Amen, Bev! Pray first.
My prayer need continues to be for my two adult children. May the Lord soften their hearts, first toward Him and second, toward me. May I have peace and hope in the waiting.
Thanks,
Bev
Bev, your replies encourage me so I will pray your heart is encouraged today. Praying for answered prayer in regard to your children, that they will turn back to God and also that their hearts be softened toward you. Much love dear lady!
Thank you Lord for Bevs children . Please let them know that they are blessed and covered by their mothers prayers.
Prompt them to seek you and to gain reconciliation with love . Provide peace in the waiting for Bev.
I also ask for my son to come back to the faith in Jesus that will help him become the best father to be. Blessings. Amy
Dear Father, I pray for soft and ready hearts, come shine Your light and give them eyes to see the fullness of Your love and grace and wonder. Give Bev wisdom and fresh hope and peace as she waits on You. In Jesus name, Amen.
Lord, for your servant Bev, assure her this morning that You hear the desires of her heart — that You knew her children before You placed them in her heart, and that You are keeping and holding them close as You turn them to You and to her. May she trust Your time and Your way. Then, in the meantime, give her others to love and others to be loved by as only You can. Thank you for your healing and restoring power. In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen.
Thank you for sharing this Patricia. There is so much on my mind lately and I am reminded that God cares about the details of our lives. We have a constant source of comfort and reassurance in prayer so that we can remain at peace with ourselves and others, and not judge what we do not understand.
Lord I pray for Bev’s adult children. Remind her that they belong to you firstly. You know how to turn the hearts of men, so turn their hearts toward you. Save, restore, and heal the wounds of hurt and disappointments. Let them find grace and peace in you. Help Bev to rest in your promises that all good things will be fulfilled in her life and their lives. Amen!
I just completed my Maters’s degree in MFT. I am going through the licensure process and meeting some stumbling blocks. I have not worked in 5 years because of my health and then studies. Sometimes I get anxious because of the financial responsibilities with 2 teenagers. My husband is the only income earner. My prayer is to find God’s will in this season of transition and the right job placement after licensure.
Dear Father, I pray for deep restoration and peace in Anne-Maries heart, may she feel fresh hope as she lays all her burdens on You. Lead her and her family nn the way to go, I pray for wisdom regarding the right job and other related decisions, and overall that as she waits, that she and her family will see Your care and provision for them in new and special ways. Amen
Anne-Marie, blessings on you this morning. Heavenly Father, as you have prepared Anne-Marie for this new season in her life, grant her Your peace and assurance that You’re already in every detail, already preparing opportunities, already opening doors, already healing her body, already providing for all that she and her family need. Help her to rest in Your power and provision and then, as You told Moses, to be ready to move and act when the time comes. Thank you for preparing her to serve Your kingdom so well. In Jesus’ wonderful name. Amen.
My prayer request is for dear family members who are struggling to hold on to faith in hard financial circumstances and wisdom in how to pray for them and care for them in specific ways.
Heavenly Father, I ask that you be with Barbara and her family members who are in financial distress. You promised in Philippians 4:19 that You would supply all of our needs according to Your riches in glory. Lord, I ask that you meet their needs today in both the natural and supernatural realm. Allow them to feel Your peace which surpasses all understanding, let them know that their present circumstances are not their final circumstances. In the mighty and matchless name of Jesus, Amen
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this glorious day. We have never seen a day like this and will never see a day like this again. We honor you for being a God who sits high but looks low and is ever mindful of everything about us individually and collectively. I thank you for this stunning and heart piercing devotional. May you bless the author for her obedience to you. May you enlarge her territory and give the deepest desires of her heart. We thank you for this stunning platform where women across the world are encouraged, empowered and enlightened. May you continue to bring more women into this online community.
I lift up my dear sister Barbara to you. I pray that you would bless her for petitioning on behalf of her family. I touch and agree with her you would bless her family in every area but especially especially financially. I pray you would open the windows of heaven with a blessing that cannot be contained or explained. We know you cannot be hindered by anything including a pandemic. God stir up their faith and do not allow them to give up one moment before their blessing. I pray you would be with Barbara as she discerns how to care for and pray for her family. We thank you in advance for the great and miraculous things that you are going to do for this precious family of yours in the midst of all that is going on.
We love you Lord and we pray and in the matchless name of our risen and undefeated savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Father I lift up Barbara to you. Please grant her wisdom and I especially pray for her family members who are struggling. I ask that you will please provide for their their needs and strengthen their faith during this hard season. Amen
I hear you, dear Barbara. Your provision and peace, O Lord!
My prayer request is for my daughter, Gabrielle to be free from her addictions and to walk in the light of God’s love for her.
God, in your mercy. For Gabrielle, your healing, restoring, and saving power!
My prayer request is for my friend who has lyme and is too sick to work. She needs healthcare access to a specialist and also urgently needs housing.
Praying ❤️
Your mercy and help, O blessed Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
Good Morning,
This was a stunning devotional. It was something that God knew that I needed to read because this is my posture when it comes to prayer. I’m so thankful for the people I have in my life who pray for me and petition God on my behalf and I am honored to do the same. We have to be honest with ourselves and know that there will be times that it’s difficult or even overwhelming to pray for ourselves. I also think we need to love and care for each other better.
I would ask for prayer for unity in our world in the midst of so much division and heartbreak during this time of dealing with COVID-19. As an African-American woman, my soul is weary but hopeful. I pray for the doors God is opening in my life. There is a beautiful shift taking place. Please also pray for my health regime and the deepest desires of my heart, which includes writing and proofreading full-time as my own business so I can have more time to dedicate to ministry. Please pray for role as a leader and my fall schedule. I thank you in advance. God bless you!
For dear Ada, O blessed Lord, order her steps! Open the right doors. Lead, direct and guide! In Jesus’ wonderful name. Amen!
Yes Ada – Standing along side you in prayer! We most definitely need to love and care for each other better now more than ever. And it’s amazing how our prayer lists never include ourselves… for years I prayed the prayer of Jabez daily and it was so, so helpful to me. I don’t know why I stopped but your post reminded me of it and I’m starting it daily again immediately! Praying for your requests that God will bless you indeed, Ada, and enlarge your territory! Your post is great! Blessings!
Patrica we all from time to time got that impatient driver. This person in our church is in Glory was saying he was right. There was impatient driver that wanted passed him. Just because he was slot older than him. He was driving well within the speed limit. Doing everything right. This impatient driver couldn’t wait to get past him. When he did get past him. My older friend that is in Glory that did go to my Church was just driving along minding his own business. The next thing he looked in the next lane. Right beside him was the impatient driver. The older friend in our church that is now in Glory. Said to himself. That rushing to b impatient didn’t get you very far. As you are right beside me only in the other lane. My friend who is in Glory said I pray every day for God to keep me safe on the roads and for impatient drivers like that. As there could have been an accident. If I had been impatient also with him being impatient with me driving the proper way and doing what the law says. It even though I don’t driver thought me and my Husband a lesson to always pray to God to keep us safe when out in the car. Not let other impatient drivers get to us make us mad. But thank God for keeping us safe everyday. That is why I pray for you all incourage as your words in courage’s me so much. Patricia I still praying for your daughter and her family. Like that mother who prayer for her son for over 20 years in Our Daily Bread. Her prayers were answered. He got saved. So never give up. Like I never give up for my family. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xxx
Blessings, wonderful Dawn, for your faithful response to prayer. May the Lord bless you richly in return!
Dear Patricia,
What a beautiful post, with the reminders to not judge but pray for others. I too have seen several speeders in the past few weeks. Worst though, are the people pulling out in front of me at the last minute, to make a left turn. Almost causing an accident is not good judgement, so I must pray for God to help all these people think about their actions. I thank God each time for preventing an accident.
Thank you for your wisdom of tenderness towards others.
Sandy
Indeed, dear Sandy. May God slow down our rushing and judging, turning us to His prayerful pace. Order our steps, O blessed Lord. In Jesus’ beautiful name. Amen.
Dear Patricia, First are those your hands in the picture? They are beautiful! And second, your words so resonate with me. We are all frustrated and worried and angry about what’s happening in the world these days. And we tend to focus on what we want and need and we forget about the other guy or gal. I see this on the road every day. And I will pray for those in trouble and in a hurry and frightened. Thank you for the reminder to be gracious to others. And pray.
Irene, may God bless your beautiful spirit. (And, no, those aren’t my hands in the photo! But thank you for asking.) As we take the position of prayer, may the Lord bless us to show others His heart, not our judgment. All for Christ — and in His wonderful name. Amen!
Please pray for my friend Melissa. She suffers from bad anxiety/depression and was recently hospitalized for it. Thank God she is home now and feeling better! She is on medication and also seeing a therapist. Please pray for her mental health and for her to grow closer to Jesus during this time. Please pray that she enjoys reading God’s Word and spends time in it each day. Thank you and may God bless you all! ❤️
God in your mercy, hear now the prayers for Stephanie’s friend Melissa. In the stress of this pandemic, calm her heart and mind. Bless her time with her doctors and therapist. Draw her ever closer to you and grant her Your blessed peace. In Jesus’ healing name. Amen.
Please pray for my daughter , she is moving to Spain that the Lord gives her grace, mercy and favor. Help her with a job and give her wisdom.
For my middle son that the Lord gives him intelligence, science, grace, mercy and favor. He is starting a new career that the Lord bless him while he is studying .
For my youngest son that the Lord guide him and open new doors for a job.
Also for my life that the Lord bring purpose for my life and also change for my life.
Lord, for Marian’s daughter and sons — and also for her — shine a light on their new ventures in life, granting them Your guidance, protection and wisdom as they step into new opportunities. Grace them with Your love, mercy, power and assurance, helping them to know for sure that You go before them in all things in Your will. Clarify your purpose for each of their lives, then equip them walk into all you have purposed and planned. We thank you for your guiding power. In Jesus’ blessed name. Amen.
I broke my ankle this week and had surgery. I am grateful for the family and friends who have checked on me. My prayer is for healing and patience in this journey. That I may also see what God is teaching me. Th a k you
Gracious God: I lift up Tammy and the healing needed for her ankle. I also lift up those who are caring for & checking in on her, meeting her unexpected needs. Thank you for moving in her life. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Please pray for my brother and his family. His work schedule has changed to third shift and it is putting a strain on the family.
God, in your mercy. For Kelly’s brother, we thank you for his employment, and we ask your support and grace as he and his family adjust to his new shift. Provide Your wisdom to this family as they struggle to work out the details of new work hours. With You, all things are possible. We thank you for making a way for peace, calm, order and rest regarding this new work schedule. Thank you for hearing and blessing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Needing prayer as I care for my husband who has dementia. Life is sometimes overwhelming but God is in control .
God, in your mercy, we lift to You now the prayers of your daughter Judith. As she cares for her husband with dementia, grant to her every provision and power she needs to walk this difficult road. Se knows you are in control. Please show her in beautiful ways how true that is. Thank you for hearing and answering her prayer. In Jesus’ healing and helping name. Amen.
Please pray for my grandchildren, Matthew, Maryanne,Ryan. It’s Ryan and MaryAnne’s 7th wedding anniversary tomorrow. Please pray for all my grandchildren and grandchildren and their families as well. Also,please pray for my health. Thank you and may God bless you.
Heavenly Father, on this beautiful Monday afternoon, we ask you to hear the grandparent’s prayers of Lulu for her grandchildren and their families. You know every detail of every need. Bless them with breakthroughs, blessings, provision, and power — and most of all — bless them by Your Holy Spirit to know Christ. In his might name we pray, Amen.
For my relationship with my parents.., that it grows and even flourishes! I am an adult woman who has autism and who is learning how to be independent and not rely on my parents so much.. also that I wouldn’t look to them for approval.. that I would only look to GOD for approval. That I would find my identity in HIM.
Lord, in your mercy, as you sit high and look low, we ask you to hear the prayers of Georgiana to grow and deepen her relationship with her parents and, at the same time, to grow her dependence on You, and less on them. As our Heavenly Father, you understand the tensions , struggles and misunderstanding that may have motivated this prayer. We pray your healing, harmonious strength on Georgiana’s relationship with her parents, giving them the strength to let go by faith as you step in to lead and guide Georgiana’s beautiful life. She trusts you to grant her approval and direction. Thank you for providing. In Jesus’ wonderful name, Amen.
Prayers for my family to remain healthy. Prayers also for my autistic son’s return to school in a week.
Praying for your family, especially your son. God, bless them with a calm school year, giving them what they need exactly when they need it. Amen. ~Lori Wise
Thanks, Lori. I’ll be praying for you as well; so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how you are getting through each day – with God’s help.
Prayers that I quickly learn this new job that I’m struggling with, as I continue to grieve the loss of my 31 yr-old son. I as for concentration and memory. Thank you.
God, in your mercy, we lift to you know your precious daughter Lori, asking that as she grieves the loss of her beloved son, that you soothe her heart, granting her strength to move through the grieving process and she works to perform well at her new job. Those are two big things t juggle and handle. Encourage Lori to release these worries and tensions to you, knowing you can handle it all. In Your son’s name, we thank you for blessings Lori now with peace. We pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.