Thought for the day
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert-like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island. The first thing they prayed for was food.
The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.
After some days, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the island. On the other side of the island, the second man had nothing. Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, and more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side on the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard God speak from heaven booming: "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man replied. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."
"You are mistaken," God rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered."
"Tell me," the first man asked God, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"
"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
We have many of the apostle Paul's prayers recorded in his epistles. It is significant to me how large a percentage of those prayers involved petitions for other people (mostly for spiritual needs rather than physical, incidentally) and how few involved petitions for personal needs.
It is easy to get so caught up in asking God to provide us what we need (or merely want) that we forget to pray for others. May God help us to be sensitive to the needs of others around us, and may we take advantage of every opportunity to approach the throne of grace and lay their concerns at the feet of our Father.
"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone..." (I Timothy 2:1, NIV)
Verses
Hebrews 10:23
let us hold the hope we avow without wavering (for we can rely on him who gave us the Promise);
Isaiah 61:1
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
John 8:31-32
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Colossians 4:2
Be giving constant attention to prayer, constantly vigilant in it with thanksgiving,
2 Corinthians 9:11
God will make you rich in every way so that you can always give freely. And your giving through us will cause many to give thanks to God.
Prayer
Lord, everything we see or touch with our hands has a shelf life and eventually wears out or is destroyed. Our family members and the people we hold dear to our hearts in time also depart from our lives. But when we contemplate thoughts of eternity we are filled with unending praise as we consider that You, O Lord, reign forever. Of your kingdom there will be no end. We’ll gather with our dear brothers and sisters from all over the world, from every tribe, tongue and nation to exalt the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ for all eternity! Amen.
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