Message through Eldora

Do you ever tell people about Jesus, but forget to tell Jesus about them? I find myself doing things like this from time to time. Sometimes I get so caught up in what I'm doing that I forget about what God could do. Sometimes I try to work so much for God, that I forget that He is supposed to work through me.

I met a lady named Eldora this week at a place called Bethel Colony. She was such an inspiration to me and she shared with me the story of how her and her husband had been serving there for 26 years, helping men struggling with addiction. She had come through many trials in her life, but still remained faithful to God. I thought, "Wow, what a testimony of perseverance." 

Knowing I would most likely get busy and forget to pray for her later on I asked if I could pray over her right then. It felt like an out of body experience as I prayed for her for a very long time, which being that I had just met her was kind of out of character for me. (I don't normally think praying is something I am very good at, and I had actually been discussing with my team earlier that it is probably my weakest area of ministry.) 

When I closed the prayer, she looked up at me and said, "You are such a prayer, I don't mean to puff you up but you are such a beautiful prayer." I honestly did not know what to say. I just thought, "Hmm...interesting." When I got home I shared with my team that I felt like God had sent me a message through this sweet lady. 

I felt like God was using her to remind me of the importance of prayer. Every day when I wake up and set out to share the love and story of God with others, the most important thing I can do that day is pray. I am a doer, so it is hard for me to step back and pray before rushing into things. I often get in this "Can-do" attitude where I somehow think that spending more time with people will help them more than prayer will. 

God has been teaching me how to reverse that notion, and reminding me that as a missionary prayer is not only important, it is vital to everything that I do. It is my mission to pray, and prayer is what fuels my mission. Loving people, telling people about Jesus, it is all great, but what are my actions without the Holy Spirit? What can I do to save people? I can do nothing, it is all God. 

I am praying that daily God will remind me of the importance of prayer, and how that plays such a big part in mission work. Pray for my team that we would all remember that, and we would in turn help the people we disciple to see the importance in prayer.