Let’s talk about prayer.

I know we all pray.  We pray at church, before meals, to thank God or ask God for something.  It is a gift to us from our heavenly Father that we have a way to ‘talk’ to Him.  Through the years with our daughter Amanda, I know it was the often needed prayers of others that held us together during scary, sick times with her.  Lately I’ve found myself praying more than ever, and praying with great conviction.  There are 3 reasons for this.  One reason is that I am older and have older friends where health needs are more prevalent; so I pray for them.  The second reason is that I have grandchildren.  There is nothing like having these precious little people in your lives and wanting them to know the love of Jesus and pray they grow up safe and strong and walking in faith.  The third reason for more prayers is that some of my grandchildren live out of state.  Oh my.  I don’t see these grands as much as the others and my heart aches often with wondering how they are doing every day.  To stop the worry, I have turned to God and pray fervently every morning for them and their parents.  It’s how I find peace; knowing that they are in the care of our heavenly Father.

The apostle Paul prayed often.   He had followers everywhere and in so many cities.  He did not have a phone, or computer, or the USPS to stay in touch.  I imagine he worried often and his heart ached with love and concern for them.  But he found peace in praying for them.  And praying often.  I read the other day in 1 Thessalonians 1:2 where Paul wrote:  We sent Timothy who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the Gospel of Christ to strengthen and encourage you in your faith.  Now my bible has footnotes – and I love footnotes!  They add to the understanding of what I’m reading.  The footnote for this verse gave further meaning for the word:  strengthen.  It said:  “In Greek classical literature the word was generally used in the literal sense of putting a buttress on a building.  In the New Testament it is mainly used figuratively.”

A buttress!

For those who don’t know what a buttress is, it is “a projecting support of stone or brick built against a wall”.  Here’s a simple buttress:

And here’s a fancy ‘flying buttress’:

What a fantastic image for us!  How many times are we asked or we offer to pray for someone in times of need?  Our prayers literally help to strengthen and hold someone up; like a buttress!  That’s what apostle Paul was doing – sending love and care and support to buttress his fellow believers.  When we pray for others (or others pray for us) we add our own support through Christ.  People who have been through tough times often say how thankful they are when others have prayed for them.  They will say they’ve felt the prayers and the love and strength of those prayers which helped carry them through when they had no words or strength of their own. 

Buttress.

What a word.  What a fun word.  Pardon my childish humor here, but ….

Be a BUTTress. 

Seriously.  (and with tongue-in-cheek humor)!

You will never forget this now, will you?  When someone asks you to pray for them, first of all keep in mind what a privilege and gift that is!  How wonderful to love someone and encourage and support them through prayer.  Visualize yourself as a strong buttress, leaning into that person with strength to hold them up in their time of need.  How powerful is that?

Paul did a lot of praying.  It’s all he could do when he couldn’t physically be there. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17  Pray without ceasing!

Romans 1:9-10  Constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times.

2 Timothy 1:3  All night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.

Be a BUTTRESS!

Pray for others and support them and hold them up.

Be a flying buttress if you like!

And pray without ceasing.

Amen.

just Laurel