1Samuel 12:23-24: “As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.  But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.

“What is praying going to do for me right now? My car is broken down, it’s raining cats and dogs, and I can’t get the part I need to get it fixed until tomorrow morning?”

The words from my twenty-something year old son to me after I commented on a string of events in his life that kept bringing him back to God.

As he complained about how “wrong” things were in his life I told him more prayer was needed.

“What is that going to do right now?” he asked.

I said “Ok, but I will pray for your safety and for a solution and you cannot stop me from praying.”

Within 45 minutes he was able to determine that things were not as bad as he initially thought. He found out what was really needed to get the car running again, was able to move his vehicle to safe place out of the traffic, and he would be able to fix the problem himself.

I could not resist telling him how good God was being to him right there, at that time and in that place because of prayer. It had nothing to do with how much my son wanted a solution, how good looking he was or how much he thought he was deserving of grace.

Today’s verse reminds us that to stop praying is sin against the Lord. And to stop reminding others of His goodness and His righteousness is also a problem.

So, as I thanked the Lord for His safety, provision, and grace for my son, I also thanked Him for hearing my prayers. And I reminded my son once again, my prayers for you will not stop – regardless of your inability to see what the prayers do. God does not need your permission to work.

Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for hearing my prayers. Thank you for helping my son in spite of his inability to understand. Open his eyes to Your love and grace. Open the eyes of my friends, family, and those you send my way to see how great You are in the little things of their daily lives. I will continue to remind others of what is right and good in Your eyes. I pray and give thanks in the name of the one who instructed me to tell others about His goodness, Jesus Christ, amen.