If someone told you that they believed in how wonderful a specific product was, but they haven’t used the product to experience how wonderful it was, would you buy the product? I think not. 

I believe in prayer. I really believe in prayer because I repeatedly experience the effect of prayer in my life. But wait, for now, let me not share my own experience, but rather that of a less privileged little girl who prayed every night. 

People were invited to submit the names of less privileged people who didn’t have money to buy Christmas presents for their children. The little girl’s parents and her little brother were then invited to a party. 

Great was their surprise that it was a whole affair with a big meal and two gifts, with only boy or girl written on them. When the little girl opened her present, she shouted: “It’s the doll! It’s the doll!” 

Surprised, her mother asked what she meant. She said that she had seen the doll in an advertisement and had asked the Lord every night if she could please get such a doll for Christmas. 

I mean, what are the odds? I suspect people who don’t believe will calculate some comma zero, zero, zero, zero 1 sum. I, who have personally experienced prayer coming true, my eyes fill with tears, and I just start singing: My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do. 

Prayer must have a central place in our lives. We must constantly talk to God and lay our needs before Him. We must thank Him in prayer for all that we have. Yes, sometimes also for the challenges we face, because we know the net effect of such challenges is that we become stronger in our faith, bringing us closer to God.  

We, who believe in prayer, must not pray only for ourselves. We must pray for other people. We must pray for the Lord’s blessing on them, because if we believe in prayer, they will be blessed in their circumstances. 

I suspect Peter also knew about the impact of blessing on other people. That’s why he pronounces this beautiful blessing on all the people who read his letters – and remember, we are part of that group of readers: 2Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master. 

May you spend more and more time with God in prayer. May you read His Word more and more, because His Word contains a lot of wisdom. In His Word and in prayer you get to know more and more about God. And you learn more about Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 

In His Word and in prayer you learn how to live as a child of God. Things that happen, good and bad things, come into perspective and then peace descends upon you. You experience His goodness in every little thing and life becomes a song. 

May you also believe in prayer, and speak this blessing over everyone you meet, so that God’s goodness and peace become more and more a reality.  

Scripture
 2 Peter 1:1-2  

Reflection
Do you believe in prayer?
Do you believe in the power of a blessing that you speak over someone?
What name does the Holy Spirit place on your heart over whom you need to speak the blessing? 

Prayer
Lord, I want to pray the blessings I receive from You for others who need them too. Amen.