Today a couple from a nearby Christian church knocked on my door. They went through a brief introduction about themselves and their church. After that they did something very special. They asked if there was anything they could pray for me. Naturally I told them my exam in four days, thinking the "prayer" would be performed when they returned to church. Instead they began praying right there, outside my front door. Being a Catholic myself I am no stranger to these kind of prayers so I too bowed my head and listened to the man pray. He delivered the prayer so eloquently it was hard to believe we had known each other for less than five minutes. I could hardly tell my wants to God better than he did.
After they left I felt almost indebt to their kind actions. What stopped me short was the realisation that I too have the ability to do the same thing. Instead of repaying them directly I can do to others what they did to me: spread the Good News, pray for strangers. The prospect of actually carrying this out scares the hell out of me. It is simply not in my nature to start a conversation with a complete stranger, nor is making a request (praying for them) that has a high probability of rejection. Also I am rather slow with creating words. Slower if it is to be used in a prayer. Even slower if I have to make up stuff from thin air. However I do not totally deny myself of this wonderful task, shall the opportunity arises. Part of believing in God is about, well, believing in Him, that he will not give me a task I cannot fulfill.
Despite our (slight?) differences in beliefs, I felt our prayer had been heard. And they left me with such an emotional reactions! God bless them for sacrificing their time for such a wonderful cause. They shall always be in my prayers.
