The Power of Prayer

More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. ~Alfred, Lord Tennyson

God's 26 Guards

This is part of an email I received and am passing on to you. I’ve edited it because that’s my nature--I can’t seem to leave any document that crosses my desk alone--but the core message remains true. Lately, I’ve been asked to pray for more sick children than ever before. And each time I did, I’ve secretly wondered if it really does do any good. I think this message answers my question.

Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone, but put it aside, thinking, 'I'll pray for them later'? Or has anyone ever called you and said, 'I need you to pray for me?' The following story may change the way you think about prayer, and also the way you pray.

A missionary on furlough told this story while visiting his home church in Michigan. 'While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine, and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.

‘Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident....‘Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, 'Some friends and I followed you in to the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.’

‘At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, 'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards, my friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.'

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:

'On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would those men who met with me on that day stand up?'

The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary counted them carefully. There were 26.

This story is an incredible example of how the Spirit of the Lord moves on behalf of those who love Him. If you ever feel such prodding to pray, go along with it. You don't know what it can mean to that person.

God hears and answers the prayers of the faithful.