The Power of Prayer!
Today, as a part of my IMPACT Project work, I was taking around banners and promotional materials to stores and businesses that are observing The National Day of Prayer (NDP) which falls on the first Thursday of May every year. Wayfield Foods and other companies in Atlanta take the NDP as an opportunity to encourage their associates and customer to acknowledge God through prayer. I am a witness that prayer makes a difference in your life and draws us closer to God. I was pastor of a church here in Atlanta for 25 years and have been a Christian all my life it seems but I must admit it wasn't until I was diagnosed with Cancer in 2009 that I realized where my prayer life and relationship with God was and was not! It wasn't where it needed to be. I imagine I'm not alone.
Sometimes we think we are relying on God and are trusting in the Lord Jesus, when we are really trusting in ourselves. As probably the most frugal person known to man and a tenacious saver, before cancer, there were not too many issues that could arise that I could not simply "cut a check" to resolve. But there is no amount of money that can heal you when you have an incurable disease. Some of us trust in our relationships with people. But I have found that people will let you down even if they have good intentions. Many times when trouble comes, people are nowhere to be found.
Recently in 2013, I had a season of severe pain to which it seemed like there would be no end. During those months, I found out that only a relationship with Christ and prayer can be relied upon! I hurt so badly for so long that year. I prayed like I never prayed before day after day and yes, Jesus delivered me from the pain. But more importantly, what remained once the pain was gone was an attitude of gratitude that moved me from prayer of supplication ( Oh Lord supply my need) to prayer of thanksgiving (Oh Lord, I thank you that you that there is nothing too hard for you)!
I want to encourage you today to pray throughout the day and every day! Pray until it turns into praise! Our God is faithful and He is able to deliver you out of every horrible pit. I still have the underlying problem that caused the pain in 2013 and I still have the Cancer that caused the problem. But what's greater is I still have the power of prayer! My God is able to heal and deliver me from all of the above! What a privilege it is to carry (as the old Christian hymn says) everything to God in prayer! On the first Thursday of May, I will join others around the country praying for our Nation. But let us determine to make every day a National Day of Prayer!
