As a child I was taught to pray and as I grew I saw so many answers, many of which still stick out in my memory. Later, as the leader of our weekly prayer meeting, I had the opportunity to study what the Bible said about prayer and then to share with those in attendance what I had learned. Prayer meetings used to be an important part of the church ministry. Some held them once a week and others twice a week. Today, unfortunately, many churches no longer have formal prayer meetings, for a variety of reasons.
For at least 30 years my life, my wife and I have led prayer chains in our church. Originally they were phone chains, now we have an e-mail prayer chain. Within seconds we can send out requests to nearly 100 intercessors. Each month we send out about 40 requests and answers.
But a highlight of my life personally was having several prayer warriors who remembered me daily. My mother and father definitely did. Dianne's parents had a list that they prayed for each morning. We miss them but especially their prayers.
One of my major prayer partners was my grandfather, Norman Wolf. I knew he prayed for me each day. His grandchildren often sent him special requests to pray for, such as key exams that they were taking. When we had a family ministry we knew he was praying for us each Sunday morning as we traveled many miles to minister in churches. In nearly 25 years of ministry we only got lost once in driving to a church. While we finally found it in time, we suddenly realized that Grandpa Wolf was not praying for us that Sunday - he had been buried earlier that week. We were suddenly even more aware of the power of prayer and the impact on our lives.
My Aunt Thelma Smock was another prayer warrior. The night before she went home to heaven, we visited with her in the nursing center. We knew she was weak and thought that she was sleeping, so I chose not to pray with her before we left, as I had always done in previous visits. That was a choice I regret. For as we began to leave she opened her eyes and told us that she had been laying there praying for us. That is a visit I never will forget and a lesson that I needed to learn.
My Aunt Ellen and Uncle John were also great prayer warriors. Although they lived in Wisconsin, they were always interested in us and our family and always asked about each in much detail. And it was obvious that they prayed for us daily. Even after Aunt Ellen's stroke, she continued to ask about us and pray for us. Uncle John continues to do that. Since Aunt Ellen graduated to heaven, he has continued to call us and ask about each member of our family. What great prayer warriors.
Maybe all of these folks valued prayer because of the tough times they had gone through - the depression, World War II. They had learned that only God could bring them through times like this. This was a lesson that carried over to everyday life. Maybe life has just been too easy for most of us today and we tend to depend ourselves rather than upon the Lord.
As I've thought about these great prayer warriors who have supported me over the years, I am sadly aware that most of them are now in heaven. That realization leaves a deep hole in my life. Now I know there are those who pray for me when I have a particular need, but those who pray regularly are few and far between. Blessed is the person who has faithful prayer warriors supporting him.
Now while I live with that disappointment, I also realize that it is now my challenge to be a prayer warrior for others, especially my family members. And I pray that I will be faithful in doing this. What a precious responsibility to do this.
"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." Jeremiah 33:3
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