Missing People? Lift Them Up In Prayer
Philippians 1:3-4, 8-9 (ESV)
‘I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy… For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment.’
All of us have been separated from loved ones for a long time now. We’ve had to keep a distance from our family, friends, and church community due to safety precautions and travel restrictions, and while technology is a beautiful thing, virtual visits don’t quite measure up, do they? Loneliness can be so tough and I have found myself often reflecting on how much I miss people.
Reading through Paul’s letters, it becomes clear that he was constantly missing his friends as well. Either because he travelled so much or due to the time he spent locked away in prison, he often wrote of longing to be with a community of believers. Paul does two things when he writes of missing people: he thanks God for them and he prays for them. I have challenged myself this week, whenever I miss someone, to do the same.
When we thank God for someone, our focus shifts from their absence in our lives to gratitude for their existence. When we pray for someone, we are giving them the gift of presenting them to the Lord. It is the most powerful way of blessing others and loving them from afar. Through the faithful act of blessing others with prayer, we also are blessed by simply being in God’s presence as we make our requests. The first chapters of Paul’s letters give us many beautiful examples of prayers that we can offer up on behalf of the people in our lives. This prayer in Philippians is one of my favourites. Who do you miss today? How can you thank God for them and lift them up in prayer?
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for all the incredible people in my life, both near and far. I pray that you would bless them all richly with love, peace, knowledge and discernment and that we would be able to enjoy fellowship together very soon.