SAYS Norman Vincent Peale, “the only way to make prayer work is simply to pray. Reading about prayer, discussing prayer, hearing about prayer will bring few results unless you actually pray.
A poorly dressed lady walked into a grocery store. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food. John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once. She said: “Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.”
John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store. The woman wept and people watched. The grocer asked in a very reluctant voice, “Do you have a grocery list?” Louise replied, “Yes sir.”
“O.K.” he said with a sneer, “put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries.” Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed. The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the others and said begrudgingly, “I can’t believe it.” The grocer started putting more stuff on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more. The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said: “Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.” Ah the power of prayer. I believe prayer is deep communion with our creator. Prayer is when we trust and believe the God above has the power not just to hear us but to act on what we ask for.
So dear reader, trust God to heal you if you are sick, provide food if hungry, clothes and shelter for those that don’t have. Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. Prayer power is free power!
And prayer power can be shared: I’m in Jalandhar at the moment and last night a reader of mine dropped me to my hotel in his car, and suddenly I felt an overwhelming need to pray though he was not of my faith. I asked if I could, and he and his wife said yes, and I felt God’s blessings on the couple, as I finished.
Email bobsbanter@gmail.com
