The gift of prayer
You also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. 2 Corinthians 1:11
The gift of prayer! Have you ever thought of it that way? That you are actually giving someone a gift when you pray for them? If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. You are taking someone’s personal concerns and requests right into the presence of the eternal God of the universe and your Heavenly Father. What a gift that truly is.
Consider if you went to a king or president here in this world for someone. Wouldn’t that be considered a gift of using your influence with that authority to help someone? Think of it this way, you have a friend or family member who has a need whether physical or for direction in a decision they are facing. They talk it over with you for wisdom. You in turn take it before the King of kings. You enter into His gate with thanksgiving and into His courts with your praise as you tell Him about your friend’s concern. You are thankful to Him for receiving you and you praise Him for listening and offering the solution or even bringing the answer.
God in heaven is greater than any king on earth. There is no one of majesty or royalty that will attend to the situation here in the world. However, when you take the circumstances to your loving Father, He hears, and He shows up. I can think of no greater gift than to lift others up in prayer.
What about when praying for someone in person? This is like bringing your friend or family member right into the presence of God with you. What a great honor! Do we even realize?
Paul talked about the gift of prayer in today’s verse. He told the Corinthians that they helped him and his team by their prayer and he thanked them for this gift of prayer that was offered by all of them.
The bottom line is, prayer is not only an honor and privilege given to us by our Father in Heaven, but it is also a gift we have permission to share with others. It doesn’t even have to be another believer we bring to God, in fact He wants us to bring all people we know to Him, and even those we don’t know as well. We can bring them to Him in prayer and help them through whatever they are facing today.
Today I want to encourage you to give the gift of prayer. Don’t just pray about your own needs, take the needs and issues of those you love with you in prayer. You can even pray with those who need prayer and don’t know where to turn. Give the gift of prayer to your Pastor and missionaries. The gift of protection and provision can be given through your interceding for all who carry the gospel to the lost. Lastly, keep giving. Don’t make it a onetime thing, give every day in your prayer for others and be watching how you take others with you as you pray their solutions from the spiritual realm into this natural world.
Today’s scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 1:8-14
8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.
9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,
10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,
11 you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.
12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
13 For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end
14 (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.
The Daily Dose 