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Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
James 5:16

While we are able to talk to God directly about our needs, there is tremendous value in praying for each other, creating a community of prayer for one another.

Sometimes, though, it feels awkward to share our prayer needs with one another. Our personal needs are just that — personal. We may not feel comfortable confessing our sins to the world.

In those cases, it is valuable to have someone — a close friend, family, a pastor — who we can confide in and engage in our prayers. A spiritual bestie, if you will, who can pray for us without judgment.

The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. May we all find others who can support us in their prayers.

Be God’s — every day.

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
James 5:17-18

We can attach a lot of meaning to the famous characters of faith. Elijah was one of the early celebrities of faith! So, really? A man just like me?

James flips the context. It’s about the prayer, not about the pray-er. It’s not that Elijah was such a man that HIS prayers had more meaning or were heard faster, but rather that he prayed and God took care of it. He didn’t have power that made the prayer effective… Rather the fact that he prayed gave him power.

Take some time to pray. Right now. You never know what God might do with it.

Be God’s — every day.