Jul
17
2017
Prayer Warrior, Indeed
Posted in Prayer 2 Comments
I went to a nearby church where a funeral service was being held later that morning.
I was there for the visitation before the actual service.
Funerals are always difficult but this one was especially hard.
This service was for a young woman in her late thirties, a wife, and mother of three small children.
I had been praying for her healing.
I had been praying for her husband and her very young children.
I trusted God to hear the prayers that were being prayed on her behalf.
God decided to bring her Home.
This young woman was a lover of the Lord Jesus.
In the order of service that was handed to me, there was a post from the young woman herself.
In her own words, she spoke about the urgent need to know Jesus Christ as your Savior.
Her words were bold and so very necessary.
I know that if you don’t accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you won’t be with Him after this life. If I didn’t love you, I would keep that to myself. (Caring Bridge post, June 12, 2017)
I could not stop thinking about the words I read.
If I didn’t love you, I would keep that to myself.
This young woman loved well.
This young woman told many people about Jesus.
I did not personally know the young woman who died.
I was praying because the situation touched my heart.
However, when I read her obituary, I knew her younger brother.
In fact, I taught her brother in Sunday school.
It was then, I made the connection.
I knew this young woman’s mother quite well from a church I attended years ago.
I reread the mother’s name in the obituary.
I never realized that she had another first name; the name I called her was her middle name.
I wanted to be there for her brother that I taught in Sunday school.
I wanted to be there for this young woman’s mother.
I arrived soon after the visitation began.
I was able to hug the young man who is now without his wife and tell him I had been praying.
The young woman’s mother, the woman I knew, was next in line.
The memories came flooding back.
There was a long hug that was meant to cover the years I had not seen her.
There was an introduction to her husband, the young woman’s father, who I never met.
This is my friend, Gina. What a prayer warrior she is! The woman said.
My stomach flipped-flopped as she said those words.
I wanted to scream, Oh no, I’m not.
I wanted to yell, If you only knew.
I went down the line and saw the boy, now man, that I used to teach in Sunday school.
He remembered me.
I would know his face anywhere.
Again, the memories came flooding back.
I left with the promise to my friend that she and I will sit and have a long talk.
She and I will both enjoy that.
I hope to listen to her heart.
I am certain we will laugh and cry together.
Her description still lingered in the air; it still bothered me.
What bothered me was not that she said it but that it was not true.
I love prayer; I love talking to the Lord.
However, I know how very often I fall short.
Just a few days before, I went out to lunch with three of my neighbors.
We had a delightful time.
When our lunch came, there was an awkward silence.
My mind was racing and I was arguing with myself.
Do I pray quietly by myself or do I offer to pray out loud?
The pause lingered, a pause that needed to be filled.
I missed an opportunity.
I prayed silently and never even asked or suggested that we pray together.
That missed opportunity came to mind many times after our lunch.
Each of them know how important my faith is to me.
Each of them know I love the Lord.
On that day, in that setting, my faith took a back seat.
If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:26)
Prayer Warrior, indeed!
The Holy Spirit convicted me of my prayerlessness at our lunch.
I would like to say that I will never do that again.
All I can say is that by God’s grace, I will never do that again.
As I was driving home, I thought about that sweet woman’s comment.
The mother of the young woman encouraged me when I should have encouraged her.
Then I thought of Gideon.
God extended grace to me as I repented in my heart.
The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite, where his son, Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” (Judges 6:11,12)
What grace to have been reminded of that verse.
When Gideon was called, mighty warrior, he was weak and unsure.
However, God saw Gideon differently.
God knew that Gideon would grow into that name.
I was not feeling much like a prayer warrior.
I had failed to suggest prayer when I was out with my neighbors.
That was not the first time that happened.
By God’s grace, it will be the last.
Despite feeling weak and unsure, God saw Gideon as a mighty warrior.
Despite my prayerlessness, perhaps I am a prayer warrior in God’s eyes.
I know I love Him.
I know I love to talk to Him in prayer.
What grace.
I told her precious husband, her sweet mother, and her brother the truth.
I had been praying for this amazing young woman and her family.
Perhaps by God’s grace, I will grow into that name, too.
Good reminder,Gina. It’s so much easier to pray at home than when “out” with other people. If they are Christians, we expect it from each other; if not, we don’t want to look “different”. May God help me to be better in sharing my beliefs.
Sue,
I need the reminder as well.
By God’s grace, there will be other opportunities for Him.
Gina