The Hidden Work of Prayer
The Hidden Work of Prayer
When the medical brigade came to Honduras last month I found myself in an unusual place. If you aren’t familiar with our ministry my husband and I are part of a team. We host teams from the U.S. regularly during the year. Our biggest team is from the organization called Medical Missions Outreach. In July we hosted a team of sixty people from the U.S. During the week they were here, the team served over two thousand people in both optical and medical clinics. My husband is in charge of the surgical clinic. During the week he was up at 4AM and went to bed past 11PM each day.
To say the least, everyone on our team was super busy – except me. You see, I did a lot of help planning the meals and going to the grocery store for the surgical team, but other than that – I was at home. Each day of the clinics I would get up early, but I spent my hours watching children. Making lunches, picking up toys, and sweeping floors consumed my days. In the evenings I would put the kids to bed, waiting for my husband to come home. He was too tired to talk much, so we didn’t talk much that week.
I tell you all of this not because I want sympathy. In fact, I want to encourage you today. That week where everyone else was “busy” I found the enemy attacking me in a deeply personal way. The lies were whispered almost constantly throughout the day: “You are worthless. You aren’t doing anything to help. Why are you even here?” Those lies were sinking into my heart. I had to go to God’s word to find the peace my aching heart needed.
I don’t believe in “it just so happened” – but God orchestrated my Bible reading last week to be in Luke. The first day of clinics I read Luke 1. You might remember this passage tells the story of Zechariah. He is a priest who is chosen by “divine lot” to enter the holy of holies to serve God. It is a special honor, only once a year, where one man gets to do something grand for God.
As I read the verses, what struck me was verses 8-11. They say: “So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of people was praying outside at the hour of incense.” Don’t miss verse ten. While Zechariah was serving as priest before God, the “whole multitude of the people” were praying.
While I was not part of the sixty+ workers meeting new people, passing out glasses, or performing surgeries, I could do the work of praying. My days were long as well, but they were contained within the four walls of my house. As everyone gathered together, witnessing, sharing love, and showing others Jesus, I was at home. Yes, my heart prayed for the hearts of the lost and the hands of the workers. Yes, I was happy to see so many people come to know God, but there was a splinter in my heart. I felt it at first and dismissed it, but as the week wore on the feeling surfaced.
While others served out front I was called to stay back. I was at home, with my children, and if I’m honest it hurt. I mean it was like I was here, doing nothing. Useless was a word I felt so strongly. I knew it was from the enemy. So that week I instead prayed. And I remembered prayer is the great work God has called all of us to do!
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A few years ago I needed help organizing my prayers. And one of the best ways to keep consistent with my prayer life is to write out my prayers! So, I created this prayer journal.
To keep my prayers organized, I created this Prayer Journal.
Here is what is included:
- Prayer sheets to copy and use over and over again
- Five Prayers to Pray Over Bible Study
- Ten Verses to Cultivate the Perfect Prayer Life
- Space for your favorite verses and answered prayers
- Two separate Bible reading plans
- Praying the Names of God worksheet
- Seven Write the Word Prayer sheets
- Prayers to Pray for Your Pastor’s Wife
- Prayers to Pray for Courage
- Prayers to Pray for Your Family
- Prayers to Pray for Your Friends
- A list of resources for PRAYER
Get your Prayer Journal here!