The Place of Unforgotten Prayers

Recently I decided to go for a walk after work to one of my favourite neighborhoods in the city. The area's name is Mission, an inner city neighborhood located along the Elbow River. Mission is an area where I often like walk and talk with the Lord. It has been that way since I first surrendered my life to the Jesus back in winter of 2004.

I usually enter into the neighborhood at the same place, near the old train station. The train station is a place where I once took black and white portraits of my two good friend's, Shane and Sarah. I treasure those photos and memories to this very day.

Once you pass the train station, you will find a bridge that takes you across a section of the Elbow River. Once you cross the bridge, you are immediately greeted by green rolling hills, picnic benches, and tall trees hovering and swaying up above.

It was at this place where I recently went for a walk after a long day at the office. I had every intention of sitting down on one of the nearby benches to read my Bible. I did sit on a nearby bench, however, the warm breeze of the wind helped to keep my eyes fixed on the gentle sway of the trees. To my left, I could see a man who appeared to have decided to take a nap in the shade under one of the trees. In another direction, I could also see and hear kids cheerfully playing on the newly built playground.

Then, in what seemed like a passing thought, something dropped into my mind that I had never considered in my previous visits to the area. I thought to myself, "Perhaps this is a place, where for generations, many prayers were offered up to the Lord?"I began to picture and imagine men and women, long before my time, walk through the grassy knolls surrounded by much smaller trees, doing just as I have often done there, walk and talk with the Lord. "Perhaps timeless hymns such is, How Great Thou Art and Great is Thy Faithfulness, were heard from heaven just steps from where I was sitting? Perhaps there were fervant prayers accompanied with tears over a loss of a loved one or personal matters being prayed through at the threshold of a breakthrough?" Whatever the need for prayer was for these people, a comforting thought came to my heart. "Surely", I deeply sensed, "this area must be a place of unforgotten prayers."

"Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." - Revelation 5:8

I am often encouraged when reading this verse. Faith filled prayers as golden bowls of incense from followers of Christ, both past and present, unforgotten, and timely answered according to His perfect will. Imagine, here and now, mighty moves of the Holy Spirit sweeping across this city initiated by certain people who long ago lifted their voices to heaven? "Are some of these miracles today made possible as a result of unforgotten prayers of the past?", I thought.

Like the miracle birth of Samuel in 1 Samuel 1, you may be a person who is an answer to your mother's prayer. Praise God for praying mothers around the world! Or, you may one who has been praying and believing God for His promise to come to pass. Be encouraged and know that, "...The effective fervant prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16)

Perhaps you never prayed before and are longing to seek a life of peace and freedom within your heart and soul? Jesus loves you and your soul is worth more to Him than all this world has to offer you. The world really has nothing to offer. Only in Christ you will find life, and life everlasting.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." - John 3:16

I realize now that it wasn't so much the place of prayers that beared significance, but rather the unforgotten prayers in that place that had long ago ascended to heaven. In the very place where you are, the most important and unforgettable prayer for you now, and for eternity, can be a simple response to this divine invitation:

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." - Revelation 3:20

Pray and sincerely ask Jesus to come into your life today. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and wash you with His cleansing blood that was shed on the cross. Commit your life to following Him for as long as you have breath on this side of eternity. Let Him be the Lord of your life and Saviour of your soul. Study His word, the Bible, and pray that God would connect you to a good church with other Christian believers. Finally, be sure to walk and talk and grow in relationship with Jesus each and every day.