This is a story about Ben. He enlisted in the army and went to fight in the Gulf War. Back home in Texas he knew that his parents were praying for him. Then it happened!! During a fight, he was taken from his troop by an Iraqi soldier. He didn't know if he would live or die. He prayed and asked God to help him. Then he remembered that his parents were praying for him, too, and he asked God to let his parents know that they needed to be praying for him. Back home in Texas at about the same time, though it was about 2:00 am their time, his mother was awakened with an urgent need to pray for her son. The Iraqi soldier left and Ben was able to return to his troop.
The scripture reading, Exodus 17: 8-16, talks about how Moses lifted his hands up to the Lord during the battle the Israelites were having with the Amalekites. Every time that Moses dropped his hands, the Amalekites were winning and every time Moses lifted his hands, the Israelites were winning.
It doesn't say it in this reading, but I believe that Moses was raising his hands in prayer to God. I believe that our prayers give strength and power to God and the angels. I don't believe that God needs our prayers, but he does want us to have a relationship with Him and prayer is a means of communicating with God. It is a means for us to ask and for Him to give. I do believe that prayers gives the angels power to protect us and guide us. We need prayer, to be able to pray for ourselves and each other!!! I don't know if I have told any of you this, but there has been a few times when I have woken up during the night wide awake and have the urge to pray. I don't know who I am praying for or what for or why, but I pray. Maybe I'll get the answer someday in heaven.
1 Timothy 2:8 "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing."
Psalm 134:2 "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord."
