“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.”—1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)
A few weeks ago, I shared my first Bible study experience. From that study, I also got to encounter seeing the fruits of a stranger’s prayers. When the Bible study wrapped up, we combined groups with the other studies and had fellowship at one of the lady’s home.
We had the opportunity to share how our study impacted us. I wasn’t going to share (more new people and I didn’t want to cry). My leader said, Lisa, do you want to share? Okay, well, now I really didn’t have a choice. I was vague mentioning how this was my first Bible study but was glad I did it. My group leader, said, Lisa, you have to tell them what led you here, so they can hear about how God is working in your life.
I could have told her, I wasn’t ready, but through tears shared my story. When I was finished, one of the women said, You are Tony’s sister. My husband works with your brother. When I heard about what happened to you, I didn’t know if you were a believer or not. I have been praying for you. I am so happy to hear that you found Jesus.
I get emotional typing this because she had no idea if she would ever meet me, but she listened to the Spirit and prayed for me to find Jesus. She got to see the fruits of her prayers. This isn’t always the case. In fact, more often than not, when I pray for a stranger, I won’t get to see the outcome. That is okay. I pray because this is what scripture commands us to do in 1 Timothy, I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.”
My second session with this same group I had another God moment. My first husband’s death occurred In Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Seven men were walking in ankle to knee deep water, when a riptide swept 5 of them in the ocean. My husband and one other man that I did not know drowned. He was recently married. His wife was not on the trip with him. We talked a few times, but lost contact with each other. I would pray for her when she would come to mind.
At the fellowship gathering after my second Bible study, I was chatting with a woman that I did not know. She also was not a member of the church but was invited to the Bible study by a friend. I don’t remember how it came up about me being a widow, but it did. She asked me what happened. I told her. When I was done, she said, that sounds really similar to what happened to my cousin. I asked what her cousin’s name was. It was the other man’s wife that I had lost contact with! What are the odds?
I look at how God orchestrated that meeting between the two of us. I had been wondering what had happened to her and if she was okay. Her cousin caught me up with her life. I asked her to please let her cousin know she met me and gave her my number to pass on to her if she ever wanted to talk. She told me she would, but for me not to expect her to reach out to me since she had closed that chapter of her life. I was just thankful that she was doing well. This was an answered prayer for me.
The point is, we pray for the people God lays on our heart. I don’t pray expecting to see the fruits of my prayers. I am grateful when I get little nuggets of God’s faithfulness. I keep on praying and thanking God for all of those that intercede and pray on my behalf as well as being able to partner to God to pray for others.
Is there someone you have been praying for that you don’t know? Do you believe that your prayers for them make a difference? They do. God hears all of our prayers.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for prayer warriors who pray for those they may never meet. Forgive me when I neglect to pray for strangers because I don’t think my prayers matter. They do….each and every prayer offered up to You make a difference. You hear our prayers. I praise You for Your faithfulness. It is in the name of Jesus I pray these things, Amen.
June Memory Verse
I need this reminder in 2 Corinthians, so continue to work on imprinting it on my heart.
“It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” –2 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT)
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