In my journey God has had a great habit of putting me in positions that He knows are hard for me. I always wonder why I am the leader of prayer and worship at my church. The worship part I don't mind, I love music and I love to sing, just ask my grandson. The prayer not so much. Don't get me wrong I do pray, I just have a hard time doing it in public. I am definitely one of those people who would grieve with you, listen to your tale of woe sympathetically, or email it to our great prayer chain. I can pray silently for you, after you leave my presence with the greatest of ease, but in the moment out loud for some reason causes a short from my brains to my lips.
I have three moments where I can recall saying out loud "Can I pray for you?" and then doing it. Three. One was for a pizza delivery driver sharing his concern for his father being in the hospital alone because he couldn't get a replacement driver. Easy peasy, pray God looks after his father till he gets there to be with him. Pay for the pizza and close the door. No one else around, simple.
Next one a little bit harder, a grocery store clerk on the verge of tears, having a rough day in retail. If you work or worked in retail you know how that can be. Again, simple prayer that the rest of her shift goes well, I know there was something else but can't recall, but just simple, but very public. People in line waiting for you to hurry up, and here I am praying. I am sure it looked as awkward as it felt.
The final one was scary. I was on a van with my friend Barb, who is a prayer warrior, that travels the streets of Edmonton to minister to the prostitutes, addicts, and homeless, It was a rainy and cold night. A lady gets on, it just so happens that all the other ladies were busy tending to others. I was saying in my head, hurry up Barb, this lady needs prayer. I just kept looking at her. God was saying, talk to her. I am saying come on Barb, now is not the time to be talking, this lady needs you. Finally after a few minutes of this back and forth with God, he wins out. I approach the lady and talk to her. She is trying on shoes, I sit beside her and say hi. We converse, she tells me her struggles, her fight to get clean so she can get her kids back, wanting to go to rehab but not having any luck, and how tired she is. Then I hear this voice say, "Can I pray for you?" This was not simple, my heart was breaking for this lady. God would not end this with a simple Amen and then walk away. He took it one step further. I prayed for comfort for this lady, whose name was Fiona, God said give her your shoes. Now if anyone knows me, my flip flops are my life, even in winter. Now he wanted me to give them away. Words were exchanged in my head again, but guess who drove home with no shoes that night. This girl.
So I know how powerful those words can be "Can I pray for you?" I know how hard praying for a stranger or even someone you know can be. I also know how amazing it is when you do pray for someone, even if you think you can't. I also know how you feel when you drive home barefoot because at that moment you were the answer to someone's prayer.
Yours in Christ
Heather
Prayer For Humanity - India Arie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaYkqpuSRg8
Someone is Praying for You - Jeramie Sanco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RcdwMmmGtE
Prayer For a Friend - Casting Crowns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTcjTCt_xYo
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