Praying for Those Who Don't Have Anyone to Pray for Them

I usually get to church early on Sundays.  My spouse is in the choir, and they spend the hour before church rehearsing.  I don't mind the extra time.  I read or sketch or work on church projects.

On Sunday, I read/skimmed Martha Grace Reese's Unbinding series (Unbinding Your Heart, Unbinding the Gospel, Unbinding Your Church).  My church is about to do the 40 days of prayer experience, and I've been asked to help lead it.

In some ways, I feel like there are many around who are better at prayer than I am.  There are those who seem to live their lives in constant prayer, while I often have to write it into my schedule.  There are those who can tell you--often at great length--about all the times that prayer changed everything.  I am riven with doubt.

Still, I will help lead the prayer time.  Perhaps it will be good to have someone like me on board.  Maybe I will help those out there who are skeptical.  I also plan to offer some non-traditional prayer prompts.

What will those be?  I have no idea.  I'll post them here once I know.

I did come across a good suggestion in Unbinding the Gospel:  remember to pray for those who have no one to pray for them (p. 115).

Our church has a prayer station in the back of the sanctuary where people can write the people we're praying for on blue cards.  Those cards are brought forward and we say their names during the prayers of intercession.

On Sunday, I was one of the readers--which meant I could offer an additional prayer.  I said, "We pray for all of those who don't have someone to write their name on a blue card."  I heard someone say "Amen."

Maybe I'll be able to help lead a church through 40 days of prayer after all.