Lisa has struggled with cancer for several years. Yesterday she learned that it has spread to her abdomen. She had been fighting this cancer for so long and had been filled with such strength of spirit because of her faith in Christ. She has been not just a light, but a high-voltage, super-charged high beam for Jesus.
All of us have friends or family who have been stricken with this disease. It is horrible. And it is horrible for loved ones to watch and feel helpless.
We can bring food to the family. We can call and visit. We can send cards and emails and leave little gifts at the door. But through it all we usually feel helpless because sometimes "all" we can do is pray.
Why do we use that expression? "All we can do is pray."
That is the very most important thing we can do—lift our loved one up in prayer to the God of the universe. We can ask for healing, for emotional and physical strength for the person and her family. We can ask for wisdom and guidance for doctors and health care providers. We can ask for encouragement. We can ask to be shown how to be helpful.
And always, always we can pray with gratitude for God’s plan, knowing that it is good because He is good. Even if we don’t understand it at the time.
- We can pray in gratitude for the health care we have today; for medications and technologies that heal and that ease pain and provide comfort.
- We can pray in gratitude for health care professionals who have knowledge and the ability to care for our loved ones in ways we are not able.
- We can pray in gratitude for communication and transportation that bring families and friends together.
- We can pray in gratitude for communities of believers who come together in prayer.
- We can pray in gratitude for the life of our loved one and the many ways she has touched our lives and the lives of others.
- We can pray in gratitude for the world made more beautiful because of our loved one.
- We can pray in gratitude for the mercy and grace given us so freely through Christ.
- We can pray in gratitude for prayer itself—God’s provision for communication with the most loving and powerful being in the universe.
There is a whole lot to pray for. It is not an "all" or an "only" thing to do.
Prayer should be the first thing we do. It should also be the last thing we do. And the thing we keep doing in the middle of every crisis.
Prayer is always the most important thing we can do.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for prayer. Thank you that you hear our prayers and care about our needs and the people we love. We pray for healing for our loved ones and for strength to fight when they need it. We thank you for being at work in our lives and ask that you fill us with your peace that your will is perfect and good in all things. Amen.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Who do you need to pray for right now?
