Just Do It!

When Johnny Jones, living in a middle-class suburb in central California, made a commitment to pray five blessings on five neighbors for five minutes a day for five days a week for five weeks, surprising things began to happen. One neighbor asked him how she could have a personal relationship with Christ. When Johnny shared the Gospel with her, she accepted Christ as her Savior. A drug-dealing neighbor asked Johnny to pray for him and help him turn his life around and get out of the drug business. A Buddhist couple from across the street asked if they could go to church with Johnny’s family. And a Hispanic couple living next door asked him to start a Bible study for their neighborhood. Johnny Jones’ prayers mattered to God. They provided God the opportunity he was looking for to work in the hearts and lives of Johnny’s neighbors.

I read that story in a magazine article on the subject of prayer, of course. If you take a close notice of the story, you will realize that four neighbors are mentioned and yet the story presents five neighbors being prayed for. I think that is realistic also. Nevertheless, prayer matters to God. As I conclude this series on prayer this coming Sunday, I have a sense there is more to learn about prayer. I also believe that what God wants to do for us in prayer is just beginning. There is so much more that he has in mind. I know that things don’t just change around after a six-week series on prayer, but I do hope you will sense how significant this gift is as a real and deep connection with God, inviting us to release our request and to know him better, and to be totally honest with our loving God.