³ Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. ⁴ Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, ⁵ for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. ⁶ And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Philippians 1:3-6

Dear God, I wish I was better about praying for others. I think about other people all of the time. Can we count that as praying for them? Probably not. I was thinking about this young man I’m mentoring yesterday. I need to write him a letter today. I know he’s been at camp this week. I also know his mother was arrested for at least the fourth time in less than a year recently. His poor (figuratively and literally) grandmother is trying to raise him and his sister. Such instability. He needs you more than he needs me, but I am one of the instruments you’ve put in his life. I should pray for him more. Maybe I should do more materially as well.

I’m having lunch with a man today who is either currently going through a divorce or is recently divorced. I’ll learn more in a few hours. But I haven’t prayed for him like I should. I guess this is a recurring theme for me. I just don’t do intercessory prayer as a priority. My wife is great at it. She will pray for others all of the time. Is this a spiritual gift I don’t have or an imperative that I am lacking?

Father, you know the people who are in my mind this morning. Of course, my wife and children and their significant others (and their children). All of the students and teachers in Christian Men’s Life Skills. My coworkers and volunteers. My siblings and their significant others and their children. My close male friends and their families. My parents. Then there are the political leaders in my community, the state, the country, and the world. There is your church and the Christians in the world who are suffering. The suffering of those at home. Perhaps the reason I’m not better at this is that once I start on this path of praying for others, the path is endless. The road is narrow and hard, but it brings life. Help me to walk this road more narrowly and better.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen