Having been raised in a Christian home, I am very familiar with the concept and power of prayer. \u00a0There are many scriptures that tell us to \u201cpray without ceasing\u201d, that we should \u201cask and [we] will receive\u201d, and that we \u201chave not because [we] ask not.\u201d \u00a0These are truths that have helped me through some very difficult times in my life.<\/p>\n
My current day job is in a Catholic hospital where prayer is part of the daily routine. \u00a0We pray at the beginning of meetings, over the hospital intercom twice a day, and with each other as co-workers and frequently with patients and their families. \u00a0It is just a part of our identity as a faith-based health ministry.<\/p>\n
I have the privilege of leading a small group who makes up the Prayer Ministry Team at the hospital. \u00a0Among us are two of the Catholic sisters who belong to the order of sisters who started the hospital in 1856. \u00a0The rest of us are not professional clergy\u2026and only two more of us are even Catholic. \u00a0Most of us are of Baptist or another evangelic faith. \u00a0But we find that when it comes to prayer, we agree on most aspects of prayer.<\/p>\n
It has been very interesting to work together as a team for the last 18 months and to see how each of us contributes so uniquely to the work of the team. \u00a0The Baptists among us are willing and able to pray spontaneously and aloud. \u00a0The Catholic members originally found the concept of spontaneous prayer to be a bit un-nerving. \u00a0However, now, we end our meetings with \u201cround robin\u201d praying for the prayer requests that we have collected from our prayer request box outside the hospital chapel. \u00a0Every member of the prayer team has a chance to pray for the specific needs that have been presented for our intercession.<\/p>\n
The individual growth and the growth as a team has been delightful to observe and be part of.<\/p>\n
We are currently preparing for a hospital-wide Day of Prayer later this month. \u00a0Because of those preparations, I have been particularly aware of things I am reading and listening to about prayer and praying.<\/p>\n
One of the instructions that God gave us in the Bible about praying is that we should pray for one another that our faith will remain strong. \u00a0Another charge is to pray for our leaders including the national leaders (back then they would have been kings and ceasars)\u2026now they are more likely to be presidents and prime ministers\u2026though we should not neglect the remaining royalty of the world either, eh?<\/p>\n
I received an email from a friend that reminded me of the need to pray for our national leaders. \u00a0As the email pointed out, it can be difficult to pray for a person who supports what I would personally consider the \u201cwrong\u201d side of many important issues. \u00a0However, as this email pointed out, if we keep reading our Bible, the Lord will guide us in the right way to live our lives\u2026and that includes praying for a leader whom you personally find it particularly difficult to support his decisions, actions, and deeds.<\/p>\n