The Work of Prayer

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayers. I Pe 3:12

I visited my Aunt Eunice today. She’s 98 years old and stuck in a nursing home and I see her far too infrequently. She’s the aunt who took me to her church and anointed me with oil when I was one year hold, failing from a degenerative hydrocephalus that all the doctors and other family members had decided was hopeless.


I felt compelled today to visit her and tell something that I don’t recall saying before.


“Aunt Eunice, I hope you know that anything good that has come from my life is a direct result of your faith and prayer.”

“Anything good that has come from my life is a direct result of your faith and your prayers.”

Can you say that about anyone? Have you said it to them? Should you tell them now?

Can anyone say that about you?

Have your faith and prayers for someone resulted in God doing good things through his/her life?

Do we pray big prayers so that God can do great things through others?

Are we willing to do the work that such prayer requires---not the sore knees kind of work, but the work it takes to partner with God in completing his plan? Aunt Eunice not only prayed and had faith; she took me to that church where I was anointed with oil. That required time and risk of failure and potential family conflict.

Do I pray that way for my patients? For the family member who is hooked on drugs? For the arrogant colleague who needs the Lord? For the poor I pass by every day? For the young doctor I should be mentoring?

Will God do his great work someday through someone because I trusted and prayed and worked like Aunt Eunice did for me?

Dear God,
Help me to get seriously active in prayer and through prayer.
Amen