Praying for One Hour




Prayer - courtesy photobucket.com



 

Our Pastor had requested volunteers to sign up for an hour of prayer, so that our church would be praying every hour around the clock.  We were asked to commit for one week.

I was only a teenager, and my prayers were for the most part, over my food, and at night naming all my family for God to bless.

My friend Elizabeth, who was a couple years older then me, suggested that we split an hour and each pray for half an hour.  That sounded simple and reasonable to me, so I said “Yes, how about the seven to eight in the evening?” 

So it was that we signed up to pray for half an hour daily, for the entire week.

Seven O’clock came around and I retreated to my bedroom.  Setting my clock on my dresser, I began. 

Time passed, and I opened my eyes, because surely my half hour must be up!  NO only five minutes had gone by.  Wondering to myself, I questioned how was I ever going to be able to do this?

Enlarge my vision was the answer.  I began to pray for the President, for Congressmen, Senators, Governors, the local mayor, the police department and other governments. 

Protection for our missionaries and their ministry came into view; my own pastor and each Sunday school teacher, and the leaders in my church.  Then I began to pray for my school teachers  that they might have wisdom in teaching us. 

By tomorrow, I knew that I might need some actual names instead of a blanket prayer.

It took some doing, but by the end of that week, I had been faithful to the assignment.

I haven’t prayed for an entire hour for some time, but this is my daily practice.  I seek to Commune with God all during the day; zoning my thoughts on His word and presence.

As someone comes to mind, I shoot up a prayer for them.  Paul calls this praying without ceasing. 

 

If someone is facing surgery, I pray that the surgeon will have skillful hands and that healing will be quick and without any problems.

At night, I again lift up those, mentioning names and their needs.

I am reminded when Jesus said, “Could you not pray with me for one hour.”

There may yet be times that we will want to, and need to pick up this challenge and set aside an entire hour, or more for prayer.

My suggestion is that we do not get into bondage, and lay a guilt trip upon ourselves because we may not always pray one hour.   

 

Be at peace with God and with yourself.

 

This post is Linked with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday Use it on Monday

and also shared at: Tell Me a Story