Arrow Prayers Are Valuable Too!

There is much to pray about. Just do a 2=1 class, visit with friends, talk to your spouse over dinner. 2=1 has an amazing opportunity. Marriages in our nation need a plum line for peace - the power to not only hold on but thrive - to not just live in one flesh harmony, but shine so brightly that others will be drawn to THE Light they received.

This past week one of us (since we're one flesh it feels like it doesn't matter which one) slammed their finger in the car door. Ouch is a minor term for the throbbing pain and seemingly lengthy bleeding that ensued. How can this tiny part of a body cause such trauma for the entire rest of the anatomy? Cleanser and topical medicine with a band-aid was applied after the bleeding finally subsided. By evening the wounded part of the one flesh team had an achy elbow and shoulder. Everything just felt "out of sorts". But the other spouse, upon hearing what happened, showed true concern and empathy for the pain and wanted to help, offering prayer and assistance.

The next day we read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. Interesting reading with a physical object lesson. Vs.26 "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

How true! One little finger was hurt and everything connected, however remotely, seemed to be affected. And what about the second half of that verse? Recently one of us was honored for an act of integrity. The other rejoiced with and blessed that one.

We recently read of three high profile marriages in the Body that ended with lots of wounds and dishonor. No matter who we are, we need someone to reach out to us with the love of Jesus and prayer.

Let us all ask the Lord to show us each day how to pray for His kind of love to reveal itself in marriages around our nation. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to "pray without ceasing." This sounds like a big assignment. We have work, children to take care of, ministry.... But it can be done in many powerfully productive ways. God DOES hear and answer our prayers. Sometimes those prayers are long and powerful. Sometimes they are short and powerful (what we call "Arrow Prayers"). We believe He hears both. We believe He answers both. We believe He wants both prayers. When the finger got wounded it needed immediate, arrow prayer.

Here's a great example of an "Arrow Prayer". We all know the story of Joshua rescuing the Gibeonites. "Then Joshua spoke to the Lord....'Sun, stand still....so the sun stood still...till the people had revenge upon their enemies.'" Joshua and his men were in the middle of the battle; he quickly asked God for a miracle and the Lord answered mightily!

Jesus offered "Arrow Prayers". Feeding the five thousand was one. "the disciples came to Him....send the throngs away..to buy food for themselves. Jesus said, ‘They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat.' ......Then He ordered the crowds to recline on the grass; and He took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and blessed and broke the loaves and handed the pieces to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people." Matthew 14:16-19 Amplified Quite a miracle from an arrow prayer!

Let's continue to join together in one accord, as the Apostle's did, in deep, heartfelt prayer in the upper room. But let's know that "Arrow Prayers" are valuable too and they count! There are parts of the Body that are really wounded and hurting. There are parts we need to pray blessing, protection and provision over. All of us in 2=1 are praying and our prayers matter. Thank you so much for your faith filled-love filled prayers.

"so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another" Romans 12:5

Dave & Sherry Carder, U.S.National Prayer Directors