“You are in our prayers has become a cliché, just a nice thing to say when we see someone struggling. But do we really understand the power of prayer.”~Myles Munroe.

I started to notice this on Facebook and when commenting to people that are in need of prayers. It is as if the phrase” you’re in my thoughts and prayers” have become a cliché. I’m not sure why I’m just now noticing it, but I have been over time. When we repeat the same words or phrases are repeated often enough, they begin to sound like clichés.

While reading some of the posts and comments I began to realize that the phrase “thoughts and prayers” has become such a condolence cliché that it is now just words for many. I’m guilty of this myself. When I don’t know what to say, I will use the phrase, “you’re in my thoughts and prayers”. I think I need to actually post a prayer for them whoever needs one instead of saying, “thoughts and prayers”.

Prayer is not only a vital in every believer’s life; it is also a privilege that some believers choose not to use. Believers and nonbelievers use it freely saying, “I’ll keep you in my prayers,” only to forget or never pray at all. Prayer should literally be the lifeline of the Christian.

There are many verses in the bible that talks about the importance of prayer, that is because prayer is an important part of our everyday lives. When we pray we are communicating with God.

• Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, in EVERYTHING give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
• James 5:13-18 : Pray for one another that you may be healed.

When I was working at Lins Marketplace, I had the “sappy line” as some would say. Many knew that I was a Christian and they would come through my line since they knew I would be more than happy to pray for them. As I was ringing up their groceries, people would hand me papers with their prayer requests. I couldn’t pray for them at that very moment, but as the day went on and I was walking about, I would try to make sure to pray for them.

I would come home with many little scrapes of papers with prayer requests written on them. There were many times I forgot what the prayer was for and I would pray for them and ask that God is there with them during their time of need.

On September 11 when thousands of lives were lost when the World Trade Center was destroyed because of terrorism, prayers was said around the world. I remember a week or so later when watching the funerals and those from around the world come together in unison and prayer, thinking about how long this will last. How long will it be before everyone goes on with their lives and prayers cease. Many times when people pray, it is because of a tragedy or need. Unfortunately the prayers stop and lives goes on. Which is a tragedy in itself.

Here in the United States we are pretty blessed to be able to do something that all Americans can do for the most part. And that is that we can pray any place, any time, in bad times AND good times. Not just when something horrible happens or tragedy strikes.

When someone is in need of prayers it shouldn’t just be a ‘’thoughts and prayers’’ kind of moment. We should be praying every day for the leaders of our country, persecuted Christians and anyone else. At our church we make sure to pray for our country, the persecuted Christians, missionaries and anyone else that may be in need of prayers. Tragedies remind us that we aren’t the ones in control, only God is.

Prayer connects us to heaven like a phone call home. If you disconnect your communication with God you disconnect mainly everything you have with God, this is because “everything we have is because of God”.

I have no doubt in my mind that prayer works. God always answers our prayers. He may not give us the answer we are looking for, but He does. There has been a prayer I have been praying for a long time since I have been going to my church. Not all would think my prayer is a worthy one, but God must have known it was a good one.

My husband and I moved to St. George in July of 96 I think it was. We have been going to the same church since then. In our church was this organ. I know many love the organ, but my head and ears was not seeing it the same way, lol. I wanted that organ to go out to someone else’s pasture. Every Sunday I would have to take Tylenol for a headache.

We recently got a new pastor and in a short time that organ was gone. I prayed without ceasing for a very long time and I endured to the end. When I heard the news that it was sold, you can even imagine how happy I was.  After the sale our church bought a baptismal which is much better. The pastor sold the organ to a church in Texas and they have been searching for a new one and they love that organ. And all I can say is that God answered with a one two punch. Wonderful things can happen when we pray without ceasing.