Ongoing Prayers

Ongoing Prayers

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources [God] will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

Ephesians 3:16

Daily the phone rang with more pleas for prayers. And Adah, the paralyzed woman in the Victorian house on Main Street, whispered prayers all day long. Sometimes a worried mother tried to hold back tears as she asked for prayer for an ill child; sometimes a child called about an ailing pet. Laid-off workers called about their need for jobs. Once a gruff husband called, clearing his throat several times before finally saying well, yes, he, uh, had heard Wilma’s sister was a praying woman. Would she, uh, pray for his marriage?

And as Adah prayed, healing poured into those situations.

The time came, though, when the disease captured her vocal chords. When Adah didn’t whisper her usual morning greeting, Wilma pulled the bed rail down to hug her.

Then she said, “If you pray only in your mind, the Lord still hears you. When I give you a request, just blink your eyes to answer. One blink will mean yes, two blinks will mean no. Do you understand?”

Adah solemnly blinked once. Yes, she understood.

The prayer requests continued for almost another year until God welcomed Adah into heaven. Sometimes as the relatives talk about those years, they wonder how those prayers affected Adah herself. Even in her pain, she possessed a graciousness and peace not expected from one suffering so. Perhaps her constant prayerfulness wrapped her in God’s grace. Or maybe just being in God’s presence allowed her to transcend her circumstances. Whatever the reason, God chose to answer mightily the prayers of someone who could do nothing but pray.

—SANDRA

Lord, help me to remember that your power is waiting to be released as I pray. I don’t understand that, but I thank you.

Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees.

—VICTOR HUGO (1802–1885), FRENCH POET, NOVELIST, AND DRAMATIST