God of wisdom and all knowledge, by the Holy Spirit, teach us through the words of Scripture, and bring us your healing and wisdom. Amen.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 7:7-11
One of the most powerful, yet underused gifts we have as followers of Christ is the privilege, and the responsibility, of praying for one another. We often say, “I’ll pray for you,” and sometimes we actually mean it. But the Apostle James, in his letter to the churches in Asia, challenges us to go deeper than good intentions. He invites us into a community where prayer is not an afterthought but is the lifeblood of our relationships. So, today, let us reflect on what it truly means to pray for one another: why it matters, how it transforms us, and how it builds the kind of community God intends.
James was the half-brother of Jesus, but despite this fact, he did not actually become a believer until after the resurrection, when Jesus appeared to him personally. He then became such a committed follower that he would end up being the leader of the church in Jerusalem. And so fervent was he in his prayer life that he gained the nickname “camel knees” because he constantly prayed on his knees.
In the section of his letter which we heard this morning he gives us a pastoral word of instruction that’s both beautifully simple and deeply powerful: “Pray.” Whether you’re suffering, rejoicing, sick, or struggling with sin—bring it all to God. And even more than that, James calls us to bring it to one another in the community of faith. As part of a caring community of believers, we’re to support each other and build one another up through prayer.
This morning’s reading opened with these words from James, “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.”
Prayer changes things. Sometimes we think the only time we are supposed to pray is when we are in trouble or we need some major help. But that’s not the case, it’s always a good time to pray. We should pray about anything and everything. As a matter of fact, the Apostle Paul, in his Letter to the Ephesians says: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18) It’s important to understand that prayer is supposed to be a consistent part of our everyday lives!
Prayer is not measured by its length; it is measured by its depth. It has been said that faith moves mountains, but prayer moves God. Isn’t it amazing that our prayers can move the heart of God, who created the universe?
The Bible is clear that suffering is the normal expectation for every believer. The disciple Peter warns his readers, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13) But even though we know life is never easy, we should never give way to self-pity or get resentful and discouraged. When we sense that the pressures of life are greater than we can bear, James says, “Pray.”
Then James says, “Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” Here James is telling us that not everyone goes through troubles at the same time. God balances our lives and gives us hours of suffering and days of singing. Praying and singing were important elements of worship in the early church, just as they are in ours.
What then, are the lessons concerning prayer? First, we pray in every circumstance. In trouble, pray; when happy, pray. When we are striving or waiting, we pray. When life is routine or filled with new adventure, we are people of prayer. When we need help remembering or long to forget, we call on God to be with us. We make requests, ask for help, declare our gratitude, and sing his praise. Secondly, we pray together. We bear each others’ burdens in prayer. We connect with missionaries and friends at a distance as we pray. Love grows as we enter God’s presence with others.
James then says, “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” God not only hears but he answers our prayers! It’s with that kind of confidence that we are able to approach our Lord in prayer. Even though we do not see him physically with our eyes we know he is there and listens to us when we pray in faith.
But it’s important to understand that James is not saying that God will heal in every single case. We must recognize and accept that. We know that God will do what is best in every situation. The important truth that James wants us to know here is that we are to pray. Pray for healing. Pray for God’s will to be done. Don’t “not” pray.
And while there are many examples of healing having taken place through prayer in the Bible, there are also cases where God did not answer prayers in the way expected. Perhaps the best known of these is the case of the Apostle Paul when he prayed for relief from his problems. This is what he said in his 2nd letter to the church in Corinth, “…Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.” (2nd Cor. 12:7-10)
God’s response was not to remove the thorn, but to reassure Paul that his grace was enough. Rather than fixing the problem, God promises Paul his continuing presence and strength as he continues his missionary work. What Paul is teaching us is that God does not always remove our suffering, but he always gives us the grace to endure it. When we stop relying on our own strength and trust in God’s, we become stronger in a deeper, spiritual way. That’s why Paul can say, “for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.”
But the danger is that when we encounter God’s delays or denials of our requests, we will lose heart and give up praying. We need to remember that prayer connects us with our all powerful God, who spoke the universe into existence. He can set aside the normal laws of creation, if he chooses, to accomplish his will. And so, we should pray big prayers and expect God to accomplish much through them, according to his purpose and glory.
And finally, James closes this section of his letter with these words, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” We must remember that healing comes in many forms: physical, emotional, spiritual. And all of them belong to God. Also, the prayers of a righteous person don’t guarantee a miraculous cure—but it does guarantee that we are not forgotten. They serve to remind us that we are held by God and by one another. Here, we see that healing is shared—it’s the work of the body of Christ caring for its members. When we pray for others, we are doing more than speaking words, we are building bridges.
And because God does not always answer prayer in the way we want him to, many people conclude that there is no point in praying. But that is wrong, for it is a rejection of all the Bible says about the purpose and power of prayer. The Apostle Paul didn’t have every prayer answered, but he prayed all the time and urged all believers to do the same. He wrote, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all.” (1st Timothy 2:1-6)
And Jesus reminds us that the effectiveness of prayer begins simply with our willingness and desire to pray. “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8).
Samuel Chadwick, a 19th century Methodist preacher in Britain, said, “Satan dreads nothing but prayer. His one concern is to keep God’s people from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.”
So, in closing, let us remember the simple, yet powerful call from James, pray for one another. In a world where so many voices call us to criticism, division, and self-interest, God calls us to lift one another up—to carry each other’s burdens, to seek healing, and to stand together in the strength of Christ. Prayer is not a last resort; it is our first response. It is how we love one another, how we lean on God together, and how we invite his power into the places of need, pain, and hope.
When we pray for each other, we join in God’s work of healing and reconciliation. We step into a sacred space, where grace flows and lives are transformed—not because of our words, but because of the One who hears them. So let us be a people who pray—not only in times of crisis, but in all seasons. Pray when your heart is full and when it’s heavy. Pray for friends and for strangers, for the strong and for the struggling.
And may our prayers be the seeds of peace, healing, and unity, sown in the love of Christ and grown by the power of God.
Let us Pray:
Gracious God, teach us to love each other through our prayers. Give us the courage to be honest, the compassion to care, and the faith to believe that our prayers matter. Help us to lift each other up—not just in crisis, but daily, faithfully, humbly. May our church be a house of prayer, and our hearts a home of healing. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.