From the Home Place

December 11, 2025

At 4:30 a.m. the temperature is 51 degrees, headed for 61. The problem is that the wind gusts are predicted to match the temperature for today. This is a special day around our outfit, it’s Miss Deb’s birthday. For the next four months we are the same age, old.

I can’t say for you, but my prayer page is completely full right now. Don’t get me wrong, I feel blessed to get to pray for folks, it’s just that today, so many of those requests are really heavy. But then, isn’t that why the Lord told Joshua to be “strong and courageous?” Joshua was headed into a physical battle, while mine is a spiritual battle.

As a pastor, I can’t do anything to help these dear folks that I’m praying for find an answer to their prayer request, only God Himself can help them. My part is to present those needs before the throne of grace and allow our Heavenly Father to decide the best course of action concerning each person.

This morning’s prayer requests range from salvation for a loved one, to another coming back to Jesus, to someone dealing with emotional stress, to several needing physical healing, while still others are waiting for the Lord to call them home.

I must admit, praying for physical healing is the toughest prayer for me. You see, sometimes, God allows suffering to be the avenue to help someone come to salvation, or a to deepen a person’s faith in God. So, I jump in and pray that He bring a quick healing to their pain, but that pain might just be the best thing for them at this moment? Perhaps in this situation I am best to follow the example Jesus gave us in the Garden of Gethsemani, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.”

And then there are the prayers for our nation! Perhaps Moses prayed it best when he said, “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.” There is so much strife, deceit, greed and pain in America today, yet the real King is still upon His throne, and I yield my request to His wisdom. I wonder, how often does God uses situations in our nation to draw someone to Himself, while using similar circumstances to discipline others. Perhaps the tears of the heart are the best prayer for this nation?

For today, I pray as King David prayed, “In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” That is one of the lessons my Lord has taught me concerning prayer, I am to pray and then watch to see what He wants to do, and then praise Him for the result. For you see, in some situations, a season of prayer is required. I often think that our Lord is using the situation to teach me to pray expectantly and constantly. I always pray knowing that He will work, in His time and in His way. My part is to “watch,” while I continue to pray for the same person, or situation over and over again. Often the Holy Spirit burdens my heart to pray, not only for others, but also for myself, each prayer time beginning with a prayer of confession.

Regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the frequency or urgency of the prayer, there are times that all we can do is pray – yet is there possibly anything greater that we could ever do? To be allowed the blessing of praying for others is one of God’s greater gifts to His children. For I suspect, we all need a “healing” in some way or another?

As the Apostle Paul challenged us, “pray without ceasing.” Our part is to pray; His part is to heal in whatever way He knows to be best.

Anticipating His healing grace with you, Neal