Deacon of Maturity
December 2013
Most of us have met them—the ladies and gentlemen who look like a puff of wind might blow them over, but who are really quite able to do battle with the spiritual forces of evil in the name of Jesus Christ. I am talking about prayer warriors—the spiritual Clark Kents (Superman) and Diana Princes (Wonder Woman) in our congregation.
In a society that prizes things like youth, beauty, money and power, our seniors are all too often forgotten and/or disregarded. Unfortunately, the church isn’t immune to these attitudes and often underutilizes the most effective resources we have. I recently started thinking about these prayer warriors—what does an effective prayer warrior look like and why, quite frankly, are the best ones usually old?
A clue might be in identifying barriers to effective prayer. Barriers come in a variety of forms, but common obstacles include busy and hectic lives, and an over-reliance on our own strength.
Time for God
Many believers claim that they just don’t have enough time for quiet meditation and prayer. After retirement, busy schedules calm down dramatically, and gone is the stressful go-go-go mentality that defines life here in the Silicon Valley. Kids are raised and nests are quiet again, allowing more time for resting in the presence of God.
We are weak, but He is strong
When we want to serve God, our first inclination is to start a new program or ministry. We often rely on our own energy and ideas. As we age, we start to feel our frailty, and slow down whether we want to or not. This can force us to count more on God and less on our own strength and resources.
Not all seniors are prayer warriors, not all prayer warriors are old
Seasoned prayer warriors aren’t instantly created when they reach a certain age. Years of living for Jesus and spending time with God in prayer and the Scriptures produce these effective champions. It’s never too late to start spending time in prayer. And we should certainly never stop praying until God finally calls us home. The church desperately needs the prayers of the saints. Won’t you answer the call?
Dedicated pray-ers are needed to be part of an organized prayer effort during Bethlehem. For more information, please contact Jenny Gregg at 408-244-0985 or email jgregg@scfbc.org.