I have a "Special Needs" Prayer List. It is above and beyond my ordinary praying, although I don't think there is any such thing as "ordinary" praying. All requests, intercessions, praise and thanksgiving always reaches God.
But on this particular List are the names of people with various physical and spiritual and even unspoken, unknown to me needs. Either they have asked me to pray for them or I have come to know of either their urgent current or chronic needs, their burdens or their worrisome concerns for themselves or for others.
I simply bring the friends on this List to Jesus, lift them
up into His arms like the Jewish mothers did with their children. He
welcomed them onto His lap: “Let them come....” He embraced them
and blessed them at the point of their need. The mothers were
grateful and I am grateful to bring my friends to Him. I don't have
to go into some detailed recital of their needs or remind Him of how
I would like Him to answer them or how my friends would like to have
them met. He already knows that.
All I need to do is to “help make a
hole in the roof,” as it were, and be one of the four friends of
the needy, helpless paralytic by holding one of the corners of the mat as
we lower him through the ceiling right down in front of Jesus. (Mark 2:4)
I am not praying alone. As I unite my prayers and faith with others,
Jesus know what my friends need. He already has an omniscient,
omnipotent plan for their lives and how He is going to generously and lovingly answer our
collective petitions.
How God will answer doesn't depend on
my eloquence, frequency or fervor in prayer. Simply to mention
their names to Him will do, as the apostle Paul wrote that was his habit
when praying for his friends. Jesus knows each of them by name (John
10:3,14). If they are ill and need healing and I know the name
of the illness, I mention it to Him because His name is above
every name (Eph. 1:21 and Phil
2:9) and at the mention of Jesus' name every
knee will bow to Him (Rom. 14:11)—and by inference, so will every
illness no matter how complicated and unpronounceable the medical
term for the disease or disorder.
As God answers prayer and needs are
met, people come and go on my List. I rejoice with those whom Jesus
touches in whatever way He knows best. Some remain on my List for
years, if necessary, struggling with chronic conditions and
experiencing the “My grace is sufficient for you” balm from God
for the long haul. They leave my List when it's God's perfect time to
receive their ultimate healing in their Heavenly Home where there is
no sickness or pain and Jesus makes all things new.
Others with special needs are
continuing to come onto my ever-expanding List. I always have room
for more. God expands my compassion and extends my love to include
them. The hymn writer expresses it so well based on James 4:6—God gives
greater grace:
“He [God] gives more grace when the
burden grows greater;
He sends more strength when the labors
increase.
To added affliction He adds His mercy;
To multiplied trials, His multiplied
peace.
When we have exhausted our store of
endurance,
When our strength has failed 'ere the
day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded
resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun.
His love has no limit; His grace has
no measure;
His power has no boundary known unto
men.
For out of His infinite riches in
Jesus,
He gives, and gives, and gives again!
To hear this hymn on youtube go
to:
I welcome any “special needs”
friends to My List. Seriously? Yes. Email me at leonachoy@gmail.com.
Jesus' care and love for you has no limit. Let's trust Him together.
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