The Switchboard

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

What is a comfort that you’ve experienced that you can give to someone else?  One thing that comes to my mind is the peace and nearness of God that comes through prayer.

In 1 Corinthians 12:26-27, Paul tells the church that since we are members of the body of Christ, when one of us suffers, we all suffer; and if one of us rejoices, we all rejoice.  I believe that we all need to have more empathy...the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.  We need to stand by one another with this quality, and we need to pray for one another with this ability.

One of the marks of the early church was earnest prayer.  When somebody was sick or suffering, they all gathered together and prayed hard for that person!  We all know someone who is hurting or in danger, and today we need to come together in fervent prayer for that person.

James 5:13-16 can tell you more about this...

“Is anyone among you suffering?  Then he must pray.  Is anyone cheerful?  He is to sing praises.  Is anyone among you sick?  Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

I love to hear my grandmother, Mimmie, share her thoughts about a group of people praying for somebody.  She says that she can’t help but think of an old-time switchboard that telephone operators used to work with.  When a bunch of people get to praying over a situation, she feels like it lights up the switchboard in Heaven, and gets God’s attention.

A lot of times, there isn’t anything that we can do for a person but pray for them.  We act like it’s a last resort, but it is truly the best thing we could ever do for someone.  To know that somebody is seriously praying for you brings an unexplainable comfort!

So light up the switchboard in Heaven today, and do it for someone on a regular basis!