I recently enjoyed celebrating another birthday. I was overwhelmed with all of the cards, texts, messages, e-mails, Facebook posts, etc. from family and friends. I even had a voicemail from a mother and daughter singing a happy birthday duet. It was priceless! I’ll be glad to let you listen to the voicemail if you like. Not to mention the homemade pecan cake and the belated strawberry cheesecake. I even got a free sopapilla from a local restaurant a couple of weeks after my birthday! I cannot wait until next year.
Recently, our pastor of twenty four plus years, felt God’s calling to another church in his hometown. For the past several years he had a ministry of sending cards to our church congregation. Every Thursday he would handwrite a card to everyone in our church that had an upcoming birthday or anniversary.
Naturally, after he moved, our church secretary asked me if I wanted to continue this ministry. Honestly, my first thought was, “I am much too busy to handwrite a dozen or more cards every week.” However, for the sake of continuity I decided to continue this ministry. When our secretary handed me the first stack of cards they lay on my desk for a several hours. Finally, I got around to writing well wishes in the card. Initially, I began to write in a very mechanical, impersonal, manner. I didn’t really want to take time out of my day to continue, but I was committed to the task.
As I began to read the names on the envelopes, it struck me that these were not just names on a card they were all brothers and sisters in Christ. Friends that I knew personally. Immediately, my thoughts went to this this scripture that Paul wrote to his beloved brethren in Philippi.
“I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:1-2 (NKJ)
Wow, talk about feeling convicted. Afterwards, instead of looking at this ministry as a burden I began to pray with joy, thanking God for the privilege of praying for the good work that God has begun in the life of believers. These were my friends and family in the body of Christ.
As I read further, I came across Paul’s specific prayer for his friends in Philippi. Paul wrote, “And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can approve the things that are superior and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11 (NKJ)
That is a wonderful prayer for us to use as a guide when we pray for others. It doesn’t have to be a birthday or anniversary, but anytime you think about the ones you love, pray for them with a joyful heart and thank God for the privilege.