³I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. ⁴As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. ⁵I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. ⁶For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. —2 Timothy 3:3-7

I’m more persuaded than ever that God’s work in my life is a direct answer to the prayers of people.

When I was in high school, our pastor assigned a senior to every student in the student ministry. I was assigned to a woman named Evelyn White. All through high school I would go over to her house about once every other month, and she would say, “Oh James, let me pray for you.” And she would place her hand on me and pray. I had never heard anyone pray like that. She would ask Him to use my life. She would pray against sin in my life. And she prayed for purity, a good attitude, and perseverance. She called out to God for me!

Evelyn went to be with the Lord early in the ‘90’s but the mark that her prayers made on my life was indelible. I thank God for her ministry in my life.

The lifetime lesson I learned from Evelyn is that we don’t have to go through the Christian life alone. The Lord places friends around us, sometimes unexpected friends, who pray for us—who lift up our name before “the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Timothy had such a friend in Paul. Paul says, “I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.” Do you realize that people who might not even know you are praying for you?

Before Harvest Bible Chapel ever began, we’d be on our knees calling out to God. Do you know who we were praying for? You! We were praying that God would allow us to reach you and impact your life. In a major way, Walk in the Word is a ministry outgrowth of Harvest Bible Chapel. Even then, we were asking God to cultivate in our hearts an understanding of what it would really mean to minister to you and to care for you and to build into your lives hope and truth and faith in God’s Word. Now, every week, we at Walk in the Word continue to pray for marriages, for lost loved ones, for rebellious children—whatever needs are made known to us.

You have friends who love you and pray for you. We are your friends and we love you and we pray for you. Persevere in doing what is right—someone is praying for you.

Journal:

Have I ever been surprised to find out who has been praying for me? Have I thanked God for them?
Who am I actively praying for?

Prayer: Father in heaven, What an amazing gift it is that You call Your people to pray for one another! Forgive me for not appreciating the impact others’ prayers have had on my life. Your Word says that Your Son lives to intercede for the saints. Help me to realize that when I pray for others, I am most like Your great Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
James MacDonald