Looking Up

Have you thought about prayer–how it implies at least an inkling of faith?

I am reminded of this each year when my church sponsors the prayer booth at Moms on the Run in Reno. Each year we try to look as friendly and approachable as possible as we offer homemade muffins and a smile. “Do you have a prayer request you’d like to leave this morning?” we say.

I missed it this year, because I was giving the Mother’s Day message at The Bridge Church across the street from the event, which was centered at Reno High. But the handful of smiley faces brought back a record high number of handwritten prayer requests: 65.

As I typed them up last week to send out to our faithful, 50-strong team of online prayer warriors, I was struck once more by the tough situations people face: divorce, disease, depression, death.

And I was struck again by people’s faith and hope: that that change and healing are possible, that better days could lie ahead, that the smiley faces in the booth would really pray for them…but perhaps most that there IS a God who will hear us.

Today I’m also wondering if there is more prayer today–and therefore, more faith. Think about all the requests you will see on Facebook today. Here are just some I saw with a quick glance this morning:

Taking my mom to the hospital. We need your prayers.

My puppy is sick…. Would you pray?

I was just diagnosed with a disease… Please pray for me?

People who pray–or even just ask for prayer–are expressing the essence of faith. So, keep on doing what O. Hallesby calls the most important work of the kingdom: prayer.

How can I pray for you today?