Do It Now

“Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do.” (Proverbs 6:4 NLT)

I’ve reached a place where I have stopped telling people, “I’ll pray for you!”

I know that despite my sincere intentions, I’m likely to forget! Then, a week or so later I’ll remember and feel awful!  Awful. Awful. You know the story: someone you care about tells you about their struggles or sickness and you respond with, “I’m so sorry to hear about this. I’ll pray for you.” But then, most of the time, you don’t! Well, maybe I should only speak for myself.

I don’t want to promise something I won’t live up to. So instead of promising a future prayer, what I do now is stop in the moment, and pray. Right there. Right then. This usually takes people by surprise. “You mean, right NOW?” “Yes – absolutely. Let’s pray.” In the café, in the car, on the pavement, on the plane. It doesn’t need to be in a church. As believers, we are the church!

You do not have to kneel or close your eyes (and just as well, because much of my praying takes place while out walking with Claude, and especially when I’m stirring a pot of bubbling fudge). It doesn’t require religious language. It’s not something you have to arrange for, or practice, or even learn. Just give yourself permission. Keep it simple. Be yourself. Be a willing vessel through which Holy love and power can flow. Those prayers are in you. They really are.

“Jesus, come into this – we invite you into this.” is often the best place to start, especially when you aren’t sure exactly what to pray. Take a moment. Listen. Whatever the need – direction, encouragement, guidance, healing, protection – this is the best place to start. Sometimes a scripture will come to mind. Other times Spirit will reveal something key through a vision (a picture that you see), or a word of knowledge. Most of the time, He will speak to me in my heart – a small, inner voice. Simply follow Spirit’s prompting. Sometimes just one word from God can change the trajectory of someone’s life.

Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” (Mathew 18:18-20 MSB)

Sadly, a ploy of the enemy is to try and keep God’s people distracted by discussing, fixating, speculating, worrying and busyness, so they never really get around to actually praying.

If you think about it. The time to pray is now, for now – right now – is all we really have. For the truth is, there is no ‘later’. By all means, pray when you have time and space to devote yourself to it, time to truly seek God, and commune with Him. But pray now too – because you don’t know that you will always get around to it later.

The now prayers are not only about disease, disaster, or distress. They definitely include joyful spontaneity and triumphant victory. Like when good news suddenly happens – when the doctor gives a friend who had a four-way heart bypass the “you are good-to-go again” – when a fractured family relationship is restored – when a missionary friend buys an apartment – when a niece falls pregnant – when a door into ministry opens, I’m sure my loud joyous WHOOPS reach all the way into the Heavenlies. I’m sure God and the angels rejoice with me. Rejoice. Rejoice.

Dear God,

I’m so grateful you don’t play hide-and-go-seek with me. You aren’t remote. You are with me in the valleys. With me on the mountain tops. You are near. Near. Near. I am in awe that I am praying to the One who gave His only son’s life for me. I’m letting my mind linger here for a moment longer… It’s unfathomable! In You, I get to live and move and I cannot escape Your love. Never. Ever. I wouldn’t want to!

Thank you that you listen and hear my prayers whenever I pray, even now.

Amen and amen!

Have you ever said to someone, “I’ll pray for you”, and not followed through? How did that make you feel? What might you do another time?

How do you pray – for yourself and for others?

Could I pray for you now (well, as soon as I receive your request)? Please let me know what you would like me to pray for. I’m as happy to whoop with you in thanksgiving and celebration!