Why Pray? We Need All the Help We Can Get!

By Adele M. Gill

“First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone… that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. ³ This is good and pleasing to God our savior,  ⁴ who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.”

1 Timothy 2:1-3   |    NABRE

So why bother praying? Because God hears and answers each and every single prayer as only He can, and we certainly need all the help we can get! Your prayers and mine are both important, as He hears ALL our prayers—every soul’s pleas for help. We all need to get praying for God’s grace and mercy in fighting this plague, Covid-19, on our behalf. The human condition is filled with imperfections, but Jesus Christ IS perfect, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, He will safely lead us out of any other situation—including and especially, this pandemic. Here is a new way to pray that you may find helpful…

Great Discovery

As you know, I am a big believer in the power of prayer, and I write about it often here on my blog. For many, many years, I have been praying, sort of randomly, for whoever drops into my heart and mind at any given time during prayer and throughout the day. Family, friends, coworkers, ministries, friends of friends…But about 2 weeks ago, that changed when I went to Holy Hour at my church just as social distancing was just beginning. Initially, I came to pray quietly for people I know in need of fervent prayer—which I have found is everyone I know! While I was there in church that day, there were just two of us praying quietly, but in light of social distancing, I sat alone in the church cry room in the very back with a full view of the altar. That day I made a discovery that I want to share with you here and now.

Prayer Journal

While sitting in church, I started a ‘prayer journal’ in an attempt to find a way to methodically pray for everyone I know in need of prayer especially during this pandemic, without leaving anyone out. As I was praying, it occurred to me to start writing down the names of all my family members, then extended family, then friends, acquaintances, all who have asked me for prayer, my coworkers in ministry, all of Manna House Outreach, our church, our state, country, and so on… So I did. Before I knew it, I had numerous pages of people to pray for individually and collectively, going forward. A blueprint for prayer. Now I can easily read through the names and pray for each person individually and for their loved ones, without leaving anyone out. I can also pray quickly and collectively for ‘everyone on my list’ throughout the day.

Turn to God Boldly

We turn to God boldly in times of trouble, with confidence, because He is all loving, all knowing, all powerful. There isn’t anything He can’t do! He loves us each profoundly like no one else ever could. Every relationship begins with communication of some kind, with dialogue, and prayer is the language that enables us to reverently speak with God, and ‘plead our case’ so to speak.

If you don’t pray, this is a great time to start, and I pray you do! Humanity needs your prayers right now. If you do pray, please know that God hears you, and will answer your prayers in His own special time and way. Besides our actions, how else can we express our needs, desires, and thanks to God but through prayer???

© Copyright 2020   |   Adele M. Gill