Woman to Woman: Holding Up the World

 By: Carrie Hammye

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

A young woman once told me of a beautiful time of prayer she had at the altar. After a few moments of prayer, the woman who was praying over her simply stopped, looked hard at her and said, “You have a mama who prays.” The young woman looked up and said, “Yes, my mama does pray.” The loving prayers this mother lavished on her daughter and her family were a palpable presence. What a testimony. 

I wonder if you realize that as a woman – a daughter, a mother, an aunt, a grandmother, a mentor – you have the power to impact destiny? I don’t know how many times I’ve heard someone say, “There’s not much I can do, but I’ll pray.” Not much you can do? Is there anything more powerful than prayer? 

I once heard a powerful speaker talk about her deep regret that she had not made prayer for her children a priority. She realized when they were grown up that she had not consistently interceded for them. She went to each of them and apologized. She then looked at her grandchildren and made a decision. She decided that she would dedicate herself to consistent, persistent prayer, and she has not stopped! 

I have often wondered if the entirety of this world is being upheld by God through the prayers of the saints. And if that is so, it is work worth doing. We busy ourselves with many important tasks. But let the dishes go unwashed, the church bulletins unprinted, and the well-planned dinners go unmade; yard work languish, and our ideal vacation trips go untaken. Let all of it fall away if that’s what it takes to keep holding up our people with prayer. 

Have you dedicated yourself to loving your grandchildren through prayer? Have you dedicated yourself to investing in your children (or nieces, nephews, Sunday school kids) in prayer? Outside of loving Jesus yourself, there is nothing more important than this task. I pray that the Lord will show you and I how to pray effectively and consistently for these beloved ones. Your prayers – through Christ – are truly holding up the world.

1. Ask your children and grandchildren what they need prayer for on a regular basis. Follow up to see what answers God brings.

2. Begin to look through your scripture with an eye for verses that you can pray over and into your children. You’ll be surprised at how many work perfectly to slot in their name and see the power of the living Word of God at work.

3. Remember that it isn’t quantity, it is quality, consistency, and intentionality that makes the difference.