Don't Ever Give Up...Just Pray!

As I started the car to run errands, I clicked the media button on the car dashboard and the song, It Pays to Pray, came on.

The song is sung by Greater Vision, a southern gospel quartet.


We are following Jesus and Jesus prayed. He was in the flesh a man, and at the same time Jesus was the son of God with all His Divine attributes. But Jesus prayed. Jesus got up early in the morning and He prayed. Jesus loved to be with His Father in prayer. He often went to the mountains or some isolated place where He would not be distracted by people or anything that would hinder His time talking and fellowshipping with the Father...and hearing from Him.

This morning, after I read a few chapters in the Bible and began thinking of the endless list of things I hoped to accomplish today, I thought of prayer. It pays to pray! But I’m ready to work! And is prayer our work? Prayer is our top priority assignment. So, I committed to the urge, and took time to pray. It pays to pray. In my prayer time, God gave me a little task and I believe that task will be like a little stone skimming across a pond to touch others and bless them. It pays to pray. You can’t get your marching orders if you’re not listening to the Captain of the Army. Give Him your attention! It pays to pray.

Someone misplaced the prayer book in my mother’s family room where she spent most of her day. Often, she slept there on an uncomfortable sofa, because my dad passed in this room. Mother’s prayer book was always near her. Often in meeting people, she promised to write their name in her prayer book and pray for them. She had dates and needs listed. At the end of her life, she was upset when she could not find her book. But she knew the people in her mind and heart and continued to pray. We found her book and it is a treasure!

I want to write names in a prayer book. Yesterday, I got a newsletter from faithful missionaries in Haiti. Their six-month-old grandson started having seizures and is on medication. I can vividly remember the pain and sorrow of my own grandson as a toddler when he started having seizures in Haiti, and he was on medicine for 20 years. I want to pray for this little baby boy. It pays to pray. I have prayed for my own grandson, and will use every last breath to pray for my children and grandchildren, and you and yours too. After 20 years on seizure medicine, my grandson Nathan asked to stop taking the medicine. With a visit to the doctor, Nathan received permission to start reducing medications before stopping completely. It’s been 10 years since Nathan has been off medicine with no seizure activity. It pays to pray.

Jesus told us to pray constantly. Every day, new needs arise. God sees and He cares. Our prayers move His compassion to touch us and our loved ones, and we honor and praise Him for His miraculous interventions. I prayed this morning and God gave me these words to encourage you to pray. It pays to pray. ~Jeanne DeTellis Loudon