Women and Prayer

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

James 5:16b

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of enjoying not just a delicious breakfast but also the company of some women that work at the school I teach in. It doesn’t happen very often but every few months a teacher named Amy would organize us ladies and have any of us who can, congregate at one home to share a pot-luck breakfast. I like the variety of food and tantalizing smells that often makes attending these events worthwhile. I would usually go home too full to eat any more food until suppertime. Yummy!

But, I also go home with my heart touched and it is more for this reason that I keep going. After the meal, we’d share about the Lord and what He’d done. Some, like I did, shared some praises and requested prayers. I told them that as a family we were going back to Toronto for Home Assignment at the end of the school year. By then, we would have lived here for seven years with two months being the longest that we’ve been back in Canada in all that time. My request for prayers was for our sons who didn’t want to go back home for one year. Eric has no choice since he’s going to college next year but both 14 year old Eli and 9 year old Ethan would rather stay here, given the choice. They have been quite vocal about their unhappiness with us going home.

After the sharing, we spent some time praying together. It always warms my heart to hear heartfelt prayers but even more so when it is spoken with earnestness and tearful intercession. Imagine my surprise when come evening time the next day, a totally unprompted Ethan spoke of how eager he was to go back to Canada. I heard him but I couldn’t understand why he had a sudden change of heart! Much later, Eli remarked on how much fun it will be when we’re back in Canada. He wasn’t even addressing Ethan and again, he was totally unprompted! It seemed like they were then just lost in their own thoughts and decided to voice out what was on their minds. I was fascinated and elated.

I decided to end the evening by playing some praise songs on the electronic keyboard. When later, Eric came over on his own with his guitar (a first!) and Eli (who came over to tinker with the keyboard – another first!) started to play (Eric played) and then sing (they both sang) the next song with me, I began to see the Lord’s grace on us. Please understand, prior to this time, for them to sing with me, I usually would have to beg, cajole, or force them. We sang freely, “King of Wonders” and the line went, “King of Wonders, we stand amazed, there’s no other, other than You.”

Righteous prayers do accomplish much. Hearts are changed, praises rise. I sang while mesmerized with my sons. I was transfixed and yes, definitely amazed! My heart was bursting with happiness and pride, I wanted to cry. Our God and King, Wonder of Wonders.