One night, while visiting Breanne and her family, we had dinner and then sat down to watch a movie. I was sitting beside my granddaughter, Brailee, who is the most outspoken person I know.
In one scene a man shook another man’s hand and said, “How are you doing? I am praying for you and your family.”
Brailee tapped me on the arm. I looked over at her to see what she wanted. She said, “People say that all the time and then they don’t really pray.”
Although this statement was unexpected, I knew it held an abundance of truth.
How many times do we say the correct Christian thing like, “I am praying for you” but never really pray?
One of the very first lessons God taught me many years ago was from Psalm 15:4.
Psalm 15:4 says, “He who swears to his own hurt and does not change.”
He taught me this truth early on and continues to require it from me. If I give my word, I do everything in my power to keep it.
Let’s look at it in a couple more translations…
And keep their promises even when it hurts. (New Living Translation)
They make firm commitments and follow through, even at great cost. (Passion Translation)
It never ceases to amaze me the many born again Christians who fail to keep their word. Often people say they are going to do something and then do not follow through. God is not pleased with this. Not at all.
The word of God says when we make a promise, we keep it. Even if it becomes inconvenient. We follow through – even at a great cost.
I think this is doubly important to people whom we promise to pray for.
If they are needing prayer, they are probably in a desperate place. They are counting on us to stand with them – to pray for them. Prayer strengthens people and they may very well need that strength. Prayer makes great power available. They are counting on that power to be released in their life if we make a promise to pray.
I know from experience that prayers are felt. I can tell when people are praying for me – I can feel the power of those prayers and it gives me great strength. That is what we are promising when we give our word to pray. We are vowing to strengthen them with our prayers.
Please think about this today. Before you give your word, make sure you intend to keep it.
Don’t just say the right Christian thing…. If you say you will pray….jot it down and don’t let it go until you pray for them. Pray for them like you would pray for yourself, diligently and with great power. Keep your word.
We are a BODY of Christ. If one fails to keep their word, not only is it sad, but it is someone God cannot use for His glory. He never fails to keep His word – He expects the same from us.
Let’s be doers of the word and not hearers only – let’s be more like Jesus – when we give our word – may we keep it.
