OzThoughts – Monday 29th September, 2008.

OzThoughts – Monday 29th September, 2008.


I am praying for you! What wonderful words they are. There is something very comforting and also encouraging to hear those words. We can pray for ourselves but to know people are taking time to bring us before God is something very special.

As hospital chaplain, I regularly pray for people. I often ask “Would you like me to pray with you?” I can hear an enthusiasm in their voice as they agreed that I should.

I remember when I was an aged care chaplain I prayed with a woman whose husband died unexpectedly in her arms when she was visiting him in a nursing home. She told me she was not religious. I offered later in our conversation to pray with her. She accepted and her smile was a blessing to me. I hope my prayer released a blessing which resulted in that smile. Family members appreciate the caring of all staff for their relatives but many ask that the chaplain might continue to visit and pray with their loved one.

I can imagine that’s how the Church at Philippi felt when Paul wrote to them. (It is interesting he addresses his letter to all the Christians, Pastors and Ministers included).

Paul writes:

3 “ Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. 4Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart.”

Paul goes on to say a number of things about the prayers. He tells them the reasons he is praying for them and tells them what his prayer for them is.

It is good to stop in our time of meditation and thank God for those who are praying for us. God hears their prayers and as we pray that His will be done in our lives, those prayers are answered in us.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for my friends who in their love for you and me find time to bring my needs as they understand them to you. I think of many who have uttered those words “I am praying for you” and I thank you for each one. I pray that all of us will have a special outpouring of your love today. Amen.

[ Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2430.mp3 ]

1. When my heart was so broken
That I could not pray,
When love wasn’t easy to see,
Someone was there, somebody cared,
Somebody prayed for me.

Somebody went to the throne of Heaven,
Somebody lifted my name,
Bringing me into his holy presence,
Saying what I could not say.
Somebody showed me the face of his mercy
When darkness was all I could see,
Somebody pleaded the blood of Jesus,
Somebody prayed for me.

2. When the future looked hopeless
And I’d given up,
When I had lost sight of my dreams,
Somebody near dried every tear,
Somebody prayed for me.

Somebody went to the throne of Heaven,
Somebody lifted my name,
Bringing me into his holy presence,
Saying what I could not say.
Somebody showed me the face of his mercy
When darkness was all I could see,
Somebody pleaded the blood of Jesus,
Somebody prayed for me.

Somebody went to the throne of Heaven,
Somebody lifted my name,
Bringing me into his holy presence,
Saying what I could not say.
Somebody showed me the face of his mercy
When darkness was all I could see,
Somebody pleaded the blood of Jesus,
Somebody prayed, somebody prayed,
Somebody prayed, somebody prayed,
Somebody prayed, somebody prayed for me.
Somebody prayed for me.


Philippians 1 (The Message)

3Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. 4Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. 5I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. 6There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.
7It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. 8He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!
9So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings 10so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: 11bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.1. When my heart was so broken 5I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present.
6There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.
7It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God.
8He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!
9So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings
10so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of:
11bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

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