FROM THE PASTOR’S HEART OP-ED BY DR. ROBERT KENNEDY
There was a woman in the community in which I grew up who used to sing what was considered by many, the strange song I reference below:
Wi (we) want more pryas (prayers),
Wi (we) want more pryas (prayers) every day.
Satan gone to a conference fi (to) meet us, by de (the) way,
Wi (we) want more pryas (prayers) every day.
Many passersby who heard the woman thought she was “crazy.” In fact, as I look back, we children must have accepted the ridicule, for all laughed instead of saying, “Do not do that.” But if anyone would have admitted it, her song was entirely on target. One line of another song resonates with hers because it says, “If ever we needed the Lord before, we surely need him now.”
And if you want to hear the message of the song and the line, above, more eruditely, let’s go to Alfred (Lord) Tennyson, who said in his poem Idylls of the King:
Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of
Wherefore, let thy voice,
Rise like a fountain for me night and day
Yes, we need more prayer, and indeed, we need to be praying for one another, especially in this hour of the pandemic crisis. If you are listening to many of the newscasters on CNN and other stations, you might be wondering, as I have been, whether they have all become prayer warriors. They are calling for more prayers than I have ever heard in the past. They have come to the realization that we are in a helpless, hapless, hopeless situation.
As some are acknowledging, the health care workers, the scientists, the masks and vaccinations alone cannot do it. The health workers, researchers, administrators, and government are all working, but the evidence is clear that on a human plain, the capacities of the people and the systems in place, are all being overwhelmed.
For a long time, many social scientists have argued concerning the efficacy of prayer. On the one hand, some insist that prayer works. Their research has stated that for many who have been confused, anxious, fearful, hopeless, despairing and hurting, prayer works. It brings healing, comfort, connection, community, and many more blessings. On the other hand, some scientists say prayer only has “a placebo effect.” That is, it makes people feel good.
And while I do not enter a debate with the latter group, I offer that if prayer makes people feel good, that is wonderful. I do not intend to trivialize the need to feel good, but I need to say that many people need to change their feelings from bad to good. More seriously, I am fascinated by the debate. In light of the observation, more and more healthcare institutions are including prayer in their curricula and into their treatment regimes. As is observed, a majority of humanity, no matter their religion, use prayer as a means of connecting to the god they serve.
Yes, billions of people globally are affiliated with religions where prayer is an integral part of their worship. So, it is argued that prayer transcends borders, countries, politicians, finances, and world leaders. Except for the need for water, food, and shelter, prayer is the most common denominator that unites over 80 percent of the world. Such being the case, why not utilize more prayer as we relate to one another.
My simple point is that we need to pray much, much more for one another. The Scripture is replete with appeals to pray for one another. Here are just three citations:
· Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16, NKJV).
· Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,for kings and all who are in [b]authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior,who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4, NKJV).
· But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44, NKJV).
Do I need to say more? Do I need to convince you that we need to spend more time in prayer for one another? Even if people will say to you, as a friend of mine who is somewhat cynical of religion says, when people offer to pray for him, he tells them, “God is going to put the prayer in a return envelope and say, ‘Sorry he is not on my list.” I tell my friend, “I am still going to pray for you.” My friend then laughs at me while we get on to other subjects, but I can see that my prayer is affecting him.
Some persons you pray for might never know that you are petitioning God’s throne for them, but pray anyway. Here is a stanza of a song I sang as a child (Don’t trust my memory) but it is profoundly reassuring about how much God cares for us and hears our prayers for others:
There is a Father up above
Looking down, looking down
And his heart is full of love,
Looking down, looking down
And he cares for you and me,
Cares for birdies one, two, three
Let us love him, you and me,
Love our Father above.
E. M. Bounds, the author I read most on prayer, says, “Prayers for people are far more important than praying for things because people are more deeply involved in God’s will and the work of Christ.”
I am just inviting you to pray for your family, friends, neighbors, government, even pray for those who hurt you or seek to hurt you. Pray for them. Always pray for them.
