PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER

PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER        Tuesday May 26, 2015

Text: James 5:12 – 18                      Memory verse: v 16

God desires harmony among His people which made Jesus to charge us on the need to love one another as He loves us and live in harmony as He and the Father are one (John 13:34; 17:11, 21, 22). The new commandment was aimed at making us count on others for support and prayer, especially when they are sick or suffering. The elders should be on call to respond to the illness of any member, and the church should stay alert to pray for the healing of any who is sick. 

Often we are not only guilty of hesitating to lean on each other in our sicknesses and weaknesses, but we are even more liable not to confess our sins to each other. When Christians are really working to ‘share each other’s troubles and problems,’ the world does take note, and we come closer to fulfilling ‘the law of Christ’ (see Galatians 6:2). Love for our neighbours include, above all else, praying for them.

Prayer is the instrument of healing, forgiveness and mighty weapon for spiritual warfare. Some people see prayer as a last resort, to be tried when all else fails. Our priorities are the reverse of God’s. Prayer should come first. Inasmuch as God is pleased to use our prayers to accomplish His purposes and He delights in answering us, He is never bound by our prayers. How often do you pray for others? How many of your fellow Christians do you pray for on daily basis? We should not wait for people to make request before we pray. Let us make it our priority to pray for one another often and again.

Food for Thought: Praying for one another is an evidence of our love for them because you cannot pray for someone whom you don’t love. 

Prayer: God, grant me the burden to always pray for other people.