I remember my son’s deployments like they were yesterday. I still occasionally have nightmares about him being away at war. But they’re nothing like the nightmares I had during his time in Iraq.
Some nights I’d wake up sobbing, or crying out. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare to have a child in danger–even if that child is a big strong Marine.
Those particular nights, with the trauma of the nightmares still fresh in my mind, were the hardest times to pray. The urge to pray, to call out God’s protection for him were intense. But the ability to form the coherent thoughts and words left me silent. That’s where the power of praying friends came in.
The first time this night of prayerlessness occurred I was devastated.
But the morning after contained a revelation and a blessing. Almost before it was decent to make a phone call, my phone rang. It was a close friend of mine. Kim wanted me to know that she’d awakened during the night with the urge to pray for my son. She’d done just that, storming the gates of Heaven on Jimmy’s behalf.
Before the morning was half over, I’d received two more phone calls with the same scenario. Both of those friends had awakened with the unshakeable urge to pray for him.
All that day I felt relief. Even if I hadn’t been able to pray, someone else had. Mixed in with that feeling of relief, was the thought that I’d dodged a catastrophe. Over the next few weeks, it took a couple of repeated nights before I caught on to what God was really doing. God hadn’t jumped in with backup on those nights.
He’d called in the rest of the first string.
I came to realize that He had an army of friends–and acquaintances–praying on my son’s behalf. And I’d never have known it if those dear people hadn’t taken the time to let me know.
I think it’s easy to feel like we’re spouting a cliché when we tell someone we’re praying for them or someone they care about. But when we let a friend know about our prayers on their behalf, we’re giving them an incredible, two-pronged gift. The first part is the prayers themselves. The second is the comfort that comes from knowing we’re not alone.
So today–before another minute passes by–let someone know you’re praying for them. Pick up the phone, send an email, or mail a handwritten note. Just don’t cheat them out of knowing that what–and who–they care about is important to God.
