How I learned about the Power of Prayer

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When I was 16 years old, on a Saturday morning at about 8am, my Mother came into my room and woke me. My mom did not usually wake me so that was a tip something was up. She started talking about a time in her life that I knew little to nothing about. At the time, I had no idea why she was telling me this story or even how it came up, but it left a mark in my heart that I want to share with each of you.

 

Mom began telling me about when she had just had her first born son. His name was Robert. When he was born in southern California, my father was the State President of the California Elks Association. Right after Robert was born my dad left to visit a lodge in Phoenix AZ. Mom was still in the hospital and was scheduled to be released in 3 days at which time my Dad would pick her and the baby up on his way back home to Hanford.

Mom told me that her room was filled with flower arrangements from lodges all over the state. Mom gave many flower arrangements away to those in the hospital that had none. She went on to say that she was sent so many flowers that they were lined up and down the hallway. It seemed as if every lodge in the state had sent flowers to congratulate my Mom and Dad on the birth of their son.

 

Mom stated that Dad was at the height of his Elks glory and this was why she felt God humbled them. Right after Dad left for AZ things began to go wrong. The doctors came into my Mother's room and informed her that the baby had an obstruction in his intestine. The doctors felt they needed to operate, however they needed my Dad's signature before they could begin, as was the policy in those days. This was in 1949, 8 years before I was even born. Anyway, time was critical and this was before beepers and cell phones, so when my dad arrived in Phoenix, AZ he received the news that he needed to return to LA to sign the release forms for the surgery.

 

My mom began to pray. She prayed that God would save this baby. When Dad arrived the next day, the doctors preformed the surgery. After the surgery the doctors informed my parents that Robert would most likely live for only 6 weeks. Again my mom continued her constant prayers to keep her baby alive.

 

Robert lived for a total of 6 months and during that time he underwent 5 additional surgeries. During Robert's last 10 days, which were in a private room in the hospital, Mom kept her daily prayer vigil. With my Dad at his crib, Robert was holding one of my dad's fingers and my mother was sitting in a chair against the wall. Mom told me that she changed her prayer right then. Instead of asking God to keep Robert alive, she prayed this prayer, "Lord, you have kept Robert alive for me. But Lord, Robert belongs to you. Apparently you want him, so take him. He is your child". A few seconds later, Robert died while holding on to my Dad's finger in his crib.

 

My mother was weeping as she left my room. We only discussed this story one more time. That time came in 1986. It was Christmas Eve and my mother was a patient at home being taken care of by Hospice after a 2-year battle with Leukemia. Hospice is an organization that sends nurses to the homes of terminally ill patients so that they may die in their own home.

 

Of course now I was the one praying. Praying that God would allow my Mother to live. Over the previous two years God had kept my mother alive. There were a couple of times we almost lost her, but I kept praying that God would keep her alive and He did. No one wants to lose a loved one. I did not "want" to lose my mom. As Jeannie and I were about to leave my parents' home in Hanford that Christmas Eve, I sat on my mom's bed and held her hand. I asked if I could pray for her and she nodded yes. I remembered back to her story about her prayer for her 1st born. Then I began to pray. I said, "Lord, as my mother prayed for my brother, I now pray for her. Lord, my mother belongs to you. Apparently you need her, I give her to you, take her home. She is your child Lord. Thank you for the time we have had together."

 

After I prayed, my mom looked me in the face and told me she was ready to go. I knew what she met. I answered that I knew she was. She informed me then that she would not live until her next doctor's appointment; the next month, Jan 25th. She was right. My mother passed away Jan 24th 1987.

 

I do not relive these memories to make you sad or feel sorry for me. I share this with you so that you will understand the "power of prayer." Listen to God because sometimes we don't get want we "want," because God gives us what we "Need.". You see God knew I was going to "need" a family. If it was not for Robert dying then I would not be here today. That is because I was adopted when I was 5 months old by the Craines, who wanted to fill a void in their lives after losing their 1st born son 8 years before me.

 

God used the loss of Robert in his plan so that I would be here today, to share this with you. I would never have been adopted by the Craines nor would I have married my wife, Jeannie, or become a small group leader if these events had not happened before I was born. So as God's word states.

 

He knows us….you and me….before we were ever born!

 

I have learned that God does answer our prayers. Just…sometimes its not what we want, its what is best for us. The next time you pray, tell God you want to follow his plan, let Him guide you, listen to Him and wait for His answer.

 

Here are some verse's I want to share with you about prayer.

 

1Thes 5:17-18

Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

(NIV)

 

Matt 6:6-8

6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

(NIV)

 

Eccl 5:2

2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

(NIV)

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Ps 120:1

1. I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.