“PROMISED PRAYERS”

16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,”

James 5:16

Have you promised someone you’d pray for them, but for some reason, you didn’t? I have, and it’s not one of my proudest moments. I wouldn’t blame you if you felt the same.

While we might not see this as a big deal, we should probably think twice.

Perhaps we forgot, or we were trying to avoid a conversation, or for any other reason, pledging to pray for someone without actually doing so is a problem. Let me tell you why.

First, the Bible tells us not to make promises at all (Ecclesiastes 5:5), especially because we don’t know if we can keep our word. God considers our vows; He doesn’t take them lightly. He wants us to do what we said we would do or abstain from making promises altogether. By His standards, it is a sin to make a promise and fail to do it.

Second, forgetting to pray for others, especially those for whom we have committed to pray, is a failure to love them. Praying for one another is a divine command.

In today’s verse, James says Christians should have mutual honesty, openness, and sharing of practical blessings to lift each other up, particularly during trying times. He also says that we should pray for one another. Elsewhere, Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for him, and even the Lord Jesus requests Peter, James, and John to join Him in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Praying for one another is one of the main characteristics of a true Christian church (Acts 2:42). It is both a duty and an act of love. Therefore, we should designate a specific time to intercede for others. Who knows, our prayers might be the last step in someone coming to the Lord Jesus or being strengthened or saved from danger. So, let’s not miss out on the opportunity to bless others by praying for them, especially when we have said we would.

Pursue the Savior today!

Photo by Mitchell Orr on Unsplash