The strength of two

On the surface, it's obvious: When two pull together, they can do more than they can alone.

But, too often, we neglect the great value of sharing our problems with others and asking them to pray about these issues with us.

As many of you know, Jesus speaks of the power of two or three people praying together in Matthew 18:19-20.  He says where two or three people gather together and agree in Jesus' name, God will act.  Jesus is with us in a special way when we get together with others to pray.

My wife and I have periodically had prayer partners over the years and found them to be spiritually deepening times.

My first experience was with a church friend more than 20 years ago.  We were quite different in our careers but we had one similarity - we were both introverts.  As well, we both had a desire to grow in our relationship with God.

We met once a month for two years until my wife and I moved to the opposite end of the city.  During that time we got to know one another much better and we talked openly about our family and career needs.  And we prayed about them.

I have periodically had other prayer partners since and so has my wife.

There are several benefits from praying together with another person. Here are some that come to my mind:

•  Pulling together in prayer lightens the load on my shoulders of a particular prayer burden.  It is encouraging to share something and know that the other person understands you and is joining his or her voice to your prayers;
• Jesus is always the third person in any prayer partnership.  Jesus is my advocate and is presenting my prayer needs to the Father;
• I can rejoice with my prayer partner about answers to prayer.  It is good to be able to celebrate with someone else God's goodness.  It is faith strengthening; and
• My partner can gently hold me to account for any commitment - spiritual, social, or emotional - that I make.  A good prayer partner can ask me about the things I have promised to do without being aggravating or offensive.

I confess this last one is one where I have felt less easy, not wanting to provoke a friend or be held to account.  And yet it is important.

There are many ways to conduct your prayer partnership.  You can meet once a week, once a month or whatever time period suits you both.  Or, you can talk on the phone briefly once a week, praying together over the phone.

I believe it is always good to mix in praise to God and thanks for his goodness in any prayer session.  The more he is front and centre, the more we see his hand in our lives.

If you've never tried it, I urge you to seek someone and suggest you meet once to pray together.  As someone has said, you can discover whether you want to go forward after this first "date".  I'll bet you will.