Prayer

Prayer

And so we keep on praying for you, that our God will make you worthy of the life to which he called you. And we pray that God, by his power, will fulfill all your good intentions and faithful deeds.

2 Thessalonians 1:11

I just sneaked into my son Nate’s bedroom and straightened the blankets over his sleeping body—all six-feet-two of it. He returned home today from a mission trip to Bucharest, Romania. It is so good to have him home even if he is asleep. During the weeks he was gone, we were able to communicate through e-mail, and that was great. But I was thankful that I could pray for him all through the day and even sometimes when I woke up at night.

When I communicate with Nate through letters or e-mail, I catch up on the news. But when I pray for him, there’s an added dimension to communication. I talk to Nate’s Creator and my Creator, his Savior and my Savior, his sustainer and my sustainer. The God who is everywhere at once and who knows everything knows how much I care for Nate, and he hears my prayers on his behalf no matter what hour of the day or night it may be.

Whether our children are in our house, down the street, or across the world, we can communicate with God on their behalf, having confidence that God sees their bodies, minds, and hearts. Mark Twain once said, “I don’t know of a single foreign product that enters this country untaxed except the answer to prayer.” Prayer, unlike long-distance phone calls, does not cost money. We don’t have to shop around for the best rates or the best times—we can talk to God anytime!

God who is everywhere and never sleeps,

Thank you that we can pray for our children anytime and anywhere. Thank you that you are the God who sees and provides. Amen.