A Reflection on 21 Days of Prayer
In theory, twenty-one days of prayer sounds like a wonderful idea. I mean I love to pray and have been doing it for years. My day begins with a comfy chair by the fire, a cup of coffee, my Bible and Jesus. It is truly my favorite part of the day. So, going to church every morning to pray can’t be too difficult, can it? They even provide the coffee. But I have to confess, getting out of the house when it’s raining or 10 degrees outside, was not easy. I had to battle in my mind, trying to tell myself why it’s okay to just stay home and pray. It’s the same prayers and the same God, right?
But there is something special about making a commitment to gather with other believers in prayer for twenty-one days. It is like we are all in agreement with one another’s prayers, lifting our voices in one accord. That’s powerful! Of course, I always pray for my own family, but grabbing a handful of other people’s requests reminds me, it’s not all about me. Every one of us has troubles that only God can help us with.
Praying for others reminds me how blessed I am. Putting a pin in the map, reminds me that not everyone in the world has a comfy chair by the fire. Some are praying on a dirt floor at best. Taking a minute or two to take communion and thank God for my salvation through Jesus reminds me that without Him, I have nothing. I am completely dependent on Jesus. Seeing others on their knees in prayer, even bringing all their children, and seeing even teenagers and old people all casting their cares upon the One who hears and answers reminds me I am not in this alone. We are the Church. We are the Body of Christ and we are in this together holding each other up. He sees us and hears every prayer.
In 2024 my husband and I prayed for a specific need and a year later, we have seen God doing great things and bringing about change. Prayer changes things, but mostly prayer changes me.
