They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. –Acts 2:42 (NIV)
On Sunday mornings, our church is filled with people who probably agree that prayer is an important part of what we do as a church. Along with sharing a set of doctrinal beliefs around fellowship, communion, baptism, and worship, praying together is perhaps the most significant and powerful activity we do. We know that unity is powerful. Unity in prayer is definitely powerful. In the fellowship of believers, corporate prayer is very important to the church. We must pray together.
Hearing the issues and needs of others prayed aloud reminds us that we are a part of a fellowship…a family. We are members of the body of Christ, and this reminds us that it’s not just about us. We have our own needs and concerns, surely. Then we hear of others’ needs and concerns and our hearts are stirred. We pray for one another. We pray for the physically and mentally ill. We pray for the victims of crimes on the news, locally and abroad. We pray for those who are homeless and in need of employment, etc. We pray for those suffering through “acts of God”, like hurricanes and tsunamis…in Puerto Rico and Texas. We pray for those struggling to survive the wildfires in California. We pray for those living in brokenness of all kinds. We pray for those in power, who have opportunity to effect the lives of people in the community and throughout the world. We pray for all people, and not just ourselves. We encourage one another. We become more sensitive to God’s will here on earth. When we pray together about the needs of the people, our communities, and the issues of the world around us, we are edified and unified through our common faith in God.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. –Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
