Prayer Power

“Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (-Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV) [Read Ephesians 3:14-21].

Ephesians 3:14-21 is Paul the Apostle’s prayer for the Christians at Ephesus, throughout Asia Minor, and even to the ends of the world—to us today who read his prayer and marvel that the Apostle would kneel to pray for believers everywhere.

Alfred Lord Tennyson, the great English poet, wrote: “More things are wrought by prayer/Than this world dreams of.” Knowing the power of prayer, our means of communication to the very throne of God, borne along by the Holy Spirit who “intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26), how can Christians not pray? I put great store in prayer. It has been my means of spiritual strength ever since I became a Christian at age nine. Prior to that, I had already been praying the much-loved prayer from The New England Primer: “Now I lay me down to sleep, /I pray the Lord my soul to keep; /If I should die before I wake,/I pray the Lord my soul to take.” Modern child psychologists are now saying we should not teach this prayer to our children because it is morose, speaks of death, and will give children a complex. But to me, this simple prayer did (and still does) express trust and commitment to the Lord of glory to care for His own during hours of rest. He keeps His forever vigil beside His own. Try that simple prayer nightly; it works!

Prayer can encompass every care we have, every praise we raise, every thanks we offer, every plea we make. This very day, I am seeing an answer to prayer, and I praise God for it. My second-eldest granddaughter, Dr. Christina Marie Berenguer, is graduating today from five long years of surgical internship. Prior to that, she had four years of college and three years of medical school. Altogether, to reach her goal of Medical Doctor, Surgeon, she has studied hard and worked diligently. Her goal was reached because she felt a calling from God to be a doctor, and she pursued a course to achieve the aim. Many prayed for her, including her parents and grandparents, and others. Lying ahead is her brand new practice and the work she is well-trained to do. As Paul states in his prayer, God did “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Praise be to God! Keep a prayer journal! Mark off answers to your prayers. Then you will see that God rewards our faithful praying. Claim scripture promises as you pray. “Watch and pray.” (Matthew 26:41).

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Friday, June 18, 2010