Praying With Love

A generation ago a poor man who lived in rural America broke his leg in a farm accident.  That meant he was to be laid up for a long while, unable to work.  His family was large and needed help.  Seeing their need one of the church leaders called for a prayer meeting at the church to pray for this family.  While the people were praying at church building and asking God to help the family, there was a loud knock on the door of their home.   One of injured man’s daughters tiptoed to the door, opened it, and there stood a young farm boy who said, "My dad couldn’t attend the prayer meetin’ tonight, so he just sent his prayers in the truck."  There in the driveway was a pickup truck loaded with meat, potatoes, apples, and other things from the farm. 

Brethren, we know that God answers prayer and that He wants us to “cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”  ( I Pet. 5:7 )   But too often we have a tendency to stop there. 

The scriptures also instruct us that we have a responsibility to love in a very practical way.  “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?  18  Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”  ( 1 John 3:16-18 )