In the past few weeks, I have had two people – one woman, one man – come to my office at different times to meet with me.  When they entered my office, each person said, “Rusty, I want to pray for you.”

And they did.

And each time was an incredibly moving experience.

I was humbled and honored that these people would think to pray over me, and then actually do it!

Each time, in the middle of their prayer, I remember thinking how much I needed this even though I didn’t know how much I needed it.

What made this time of prayer so special is that each person approached it as an act of love and service.  In their prayers, they expressed love for me and appreciation for my ministry.  They prayed that God would continue to give me strength and vision and patience.  They asked God to make his presence felt in my life so that I would have the kind of perseverance that ministry requires.

To have members pray those things over me was and is energizing.

And it reminded me that one of the best things we can do for others is to pray for them by name and specifically.  And not just from afar, either.  We should let people know when we are praying for them and, when we can, we should make the time to pray over them in person.

At first, it might feel awkward to ask someone if you can pray over them, but I have never regretted doing it.  And it has always been appreciated.

The next time that somebody’s name comes to your mind or the Lord puts a person on your heart, say a prayer for them in that moment.  But then create an opportunity to pray for them in person.  Trust me, it will be a powerful moment for you and that person.

So, who do you know who could use a prayer?