I'll Pray For You

  So, one day, a co-worker has to leave work early because his 4th grader fell off of a trampoline and broke his arm. Later in the evening, this same co-worker calls you to tell you that he isn’t going to make it in to work the next day because the doctors are going to have to surgically insert pins into his child’s arm to correct the break. Because you are a compassionate person, you tell him that you hope everything goes well with the surgery. Before you hang up, and because you know you should say something Christ-like because the employee knows you’re a Christian, you say “I’ll be praying for him.”

  Here’s another scenario. Your buddy calls you one night and he’s obviously upset. He is having issues at his job. His current employer overworks and underpays him. His vacation requests either get denied or, while he’s on vacation, his employer constantly calls him and even wants him to make “a few house calls” even though he is enjoying time with his family. You realize that your buddy is just venting his frustrations because you’ve been there yourself, but, you still hurt for the guy. You wish you could do something about it, but you are not sure what. So, for lack of any thing of substance to offer, you mutter, “I’ll be praying for you.”

 Last one. You notice your daughter is upset. You ask what is going on, but only get a mumbled “nothing” in response. Reading between the lines, you press for more information. After much cajoling, you finally get the scoop. It seems she is dealing with the typical angst of adolescent friendships. Your daughter’s BFF is upset and giving her the cold shoulder because your daughter was talking to some other girls and her BFF is now jealous. Having been there yourself, and knowing that all of this will blow over like the latest boy-band craze, you give her a long hug and tell you that “you’ll be praying for her.”

  In my reading through the Proverbs today, I came across a verse that I’d never noticed before. Proverbs 25:14 says, “Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.” The great teacher compares a man who says that he will do something and does not do it to a storm that does not give any rain. Having lived in west Texas during a drought, I understand clearly what a storm that produces no rain does to you. The sky gets dark. Lightening flashes; thunder claps. The wind howls. You are excited because you’ve been praying for rain all year and the land badly needs it. It looks like a downpour is imminent. But, the storm moves on without making good on the promise of rain. You are left feeling betrayed. You needed the rain. You wanted the rain. But you didn’t get the rain. Hopelessness sets in and you begin to distrust the weatherman and their baseless predictions of weather patterns.

  Much the same is a promise of prayer that isn’t delivered. In each of the scenarios, the co-worker, friend, and child need prayer. They are in a drought. You give them a glimpse of storm clouds rolling in when you tell them that you’ll pray for them. Now, the choice is yours. Do you give them the rain they so desperately need? Or do you simply blow out the way you blew in, with undelivered blessings. Like rain, prayer is refreshing to the soul. It is needed. It is wanted. You have the ability to meet the need. Will you?