Friends Make Weird Prayer Time Go So Much Better

****I need to get pictures of Cynthia, Dana, Marcia and Denise. Also Linda S because she would so fit right in with this, but she is serving the Lord with the students. She probably needs a lot of weird prayer time! :) ***********

We had weird prayer time in Sunday School this morning. Those in charge play the prayer card because it seems they are fearful of letting people just sit and talk. Tons of ministry gets done in those kind of moments too. Well, it wasn't weird today but that is what I call it when the teacher finishes the lesson early or it happens at retreats and special events. That is when I really don't like weird prayer time because you've been forced to sit with people you don't know well under the guise of getting to know one another and then you are asked to share and pray about things that only those closest to you know or may know about. My ace in the hole at one of those awkward table talk group prayer things is, I am fearful of small group prayer time and that lets me off the hook of having to drag up something meaningful to share. Now I am not saying God doesn't use weird prayer time, He does, but it is such a slam dunk ending to an event anymore that the wonder and anticipation has left the building on this one. It is also my observation over the years that those who "make" us have weird prayer time usually don't participate in it. I'm just saying.

OK back to this morning.... anyway, great lesson by Carole Lewis, but she ended early and then weird prayer time. Most of the time our table doesn't pray together at these scripted times but we do share things going on in life, the majority of us are friends and have known one another for some time, and we use this time to learn about the happenings in lives so that we can pray during the week. People are so busy and when an opportunity for relative quiet is made available, we jump on that opportunity to hear the heart of the matter. Since we had a couple of newbies at the table today, we prayed. We were praising God for the news on Joan Brunson, we prayed for our friend Peggy in Ft Worth this weekend, we prayed for one another, we prayed for our Sunday School teacher and family but almost everyone who prayed this morning at our table, thanked God for friendship. Friendships that help bear the burdens, friendships with those who have our back, friendships that have survived years with spotty contact and now we see one another on a regular basis in this season of life, friendships that are more than hugs and pats but deep down caring, loving, praying and crying together in life.

After class I really began to ponder those praises and thanksgivings for friends. I have some of the best friends and I regularly thank God for them cause they are friends by grace. I do not deserve such wonderful people. Years ago when I taught Sunday School or led a Bible study, I think about those who desired to have good friends and friendship but regrettably and at then end of it, they would rather collect injustices and slights. They would rather mull and punish rather than letting go of those hurts and opening themselves up to the delightful that sometimes comes with a few pebbles mixed in.

Our lesson this morning was on hope. Carole quoted one verse that has carried me through a lot of tough times, "I would have despaired if I had not believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13 The goodness of the Lord in His Gracious Character so many times has come through friends who let His gracious character live through them in the land of the living.

I am a horrible Christian because I do not know the real words to Friends are Friends Forever but I do know the lyrics that Mildred and Gertrude used at a women's retreat and friendship was the theme.

Friends are friends forever, so don't get bored with them.
A friend won't throw you in a river just to see if you can swim.

Oh it's hard to say no to the invite of let's go.

A lifetime's not too long to live as friends....