Devotional Messages

DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE

Isaiah 56:7d – For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.  (NRSV)

People whose lives don’t really include church nevertheless often have opinions and ideas about what churches are like.  Many of them aren’t flattering.  They think churches are full of hypocrites.  They think churches just want their money.  Worst of all, they often have the impression that churches are full of hateful people who are intent on condemning everyone outside their walls.  They did not come up with these impressions on their own, and it is vital that we do everything we can, as often as we can, to show that churches can be different than that.  (Some of those folks may be at our party tomorrow, so make a point of talking to a few strangers as your friendliest self when you’re here.)

But besides all these negative stereotypes, I have noticed that there is something else that folks outside churches seem to know about churches: they know that we are people of prayer.  And many of them seem to believe that means something.  Folks who haven’t participated in our congregation’s life for years will still write occasionally and ask us to hold a loved one or acquaintance in prayer.  Complete strangers who’ve merely driven past our building for years will call and ask us to pray for a particular struggle.  And we do.

What is it about prayer that makes our mere presence in the neighborhood a comfort to total strangers?  I doubt they could explain exactly how prayer works or why asking us to pray for them felt like a good thing to do.  I don’t know if they think we could explain how prayer works, and I hope they wouldn’t be disappointed if I confessed I can’t, exactly.  But the thing about prayer is that we don’t have to comprehend it to do it, and it doesn’t have to make sense to make a difference.

One of the most precious things about someone asking us to pray for them is witnessing them remembering that they’re not alone.  They are asking us to be on their team, to cheer them on, to help carry their burden.  And when they remember they’re not alone, we are reminded we’re not alone.  And when they ask us to pray for them, we’re reminded, once again, of the power of prayer, the ultimate “I’m not alone” reminder.  We can always, always, turn to God and ask God to help carry those burdens.  Sometimes we all need someone else’s help with asking for God’s help.  That’s why we pray for one another.  That’s why we pray for anyone who has need.  That unconditional love and compassionate companionship are what make the church a holy place.  And somewhere deep inside them, many people outside our walls are longing for it.  Let’s endeavor not to disappoint them.