Praying for someone

Train up a child

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I was praying for people.  I do this when they come to mind or when I can’t sleep.  I have a list.  I start at the oldest and work my way down.  I always fall asleep before the end of the list. If It happens again, I try to pick up where I left off.  There are a few people who have been in my prayers for a few years.  For some reason, this brought this verse to my mind.

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

I’m not sure why I thought this, I’m not a parent.  I’ve never had the opportunity to train up a child. But, I thought this gives parents hope.  The years they spent pouring into their child wasn’t wasted.  God will cause it to bear fruit at some point in the future.

I then heard an interview with the lead singer of the band “Christafari”.  He spoke about how he strayed from God, but his parents never gave up. They continued to pray and one day, God got through to him.  I’m sure he can tell the story better than me, so I’m attaching the interview.

 

I then thought about those of us who are praying fervently for someone, but that person isn't our child.  I pray for my family, my former students and at times my co-worker.  The above verse doesn’t apply to me.    

Don’t give up hope.

James 5:16 (NIV)

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Our culture leads us to believe that everything happens quickly and sometimes things do.  When we pray for someone, we expect the answer to come soon if not immediately.  I can’t find any verses that say, prayers are answered fast.  It just says they are answered.  I want to encourage all of us who are praying for someone – don’t give up.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

 

Christafari - Hosanna from rivevideo on GodTube.