Amos cried out, “Sovereign Lord, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” So the Lord relented. “This will not happen,” the Lord said. Amos 7:2-3 NIV

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone. 1 Timothy 2:1

I was riding in the car with Dad one day when I was about 14 years old. It was soon after I was confirmed. He was a farmer of Norwegian heritage and seldom talked about what his personal faith journey meant to him, but that day he told me that sometimes all you can do is pray. He said that a few years before he couldn’t decide whether or not he should buy his first combine for harvesting flax and oats. He was concerned about taking out such a large loan. What if there was a crop failure and he couldn’t pay back the loan? He told me that he prayed and prayed about what he should do, and in the end took out the loan and bought the combine. He told me that it was a good decision, and that he felt relief that he had prayed about this. I remember it well, because, although Dad was very active in our country church and was Sunday School superintendent for many years, I could not remember him telling me of a time when prayer had helped him in such a personal way.

God intercedes for us in ways we can understand and in ways that we cannot discern. We cannot always know when others are praying for us, nor may they always know of our prayers for them. We cannot forget our own needs or the needs of others. God is there--listening, waiting, loving-- wanting us to always remember our own needs and the needs of others when we pray.

Dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Lord, you are lavish in your love and care for each one of us. Help us to always pray for our own needs and the needs of others. Remind us each day of your gift of grace and of your willingness to hear us when we pray. Amen.

Florence Smallfield

Ministries
Teaching Mission Party