Ain't no one gonna bar the doors!

Christine DiGiacomo
3 days ago
4 min read

podcast: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/371c1078/aint-no-one-gonna-bar-the-doors-james-no26

Prayer . . . marvelous gift of God. Our author and teacher James was a man of great prayer--calluses on his knees from the posture he assumed so often--actually had the nickname 'Camel Knees'.1 Not surprising then that the last thing on James' mind as he finished his letter was prayer - to call believers to pray.

One of my favorite visits to make is the hospital sickbed. I suppose that sounds strange, but I have had some of the 'realest' conversations in my life with people in that bed. Take the Saturday I was at a girls' soccer game about 20 miles from home, when I heard that the husband of one of my Bible study friends (okay, I was her teacher), was in the hospital following a heart attack.

I didn't ask for permission - I just went--to pray. I wasn't dressed very pastor-ly, but I went-- to pray. Oh, and I had never met the man, Robert, before, but let me tell you, God met both of us in ICU that day.

Like other memories of such visits, I wish I had a video of our bedside conversation! Our back and forth was real, raw and meaningful. Robert was in no danger of dying - these were not deathbed confessions - however, at one point as he was describing his thoughts during the heart attack, I asked him a question: 'While it was happening, did you pray?'

May I ask you the same question:

When life came crashing in, did you pray?

And did you cry out to the one true God,

the one who created you, died for you,

and made you for relationship with him?

The one who invites you to pray and

has the power to answer those prayers of yours? hmmm...

In answer to my question, Robert cocked his head just slightly, looked at me and said, 'No, no I didn't.'

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that his answer shocked me

because almost everyone prays when they are scared -

even if they are not sure to whom they are praying.

Huh, I remember a strange conversation with a makeup counter girl '

freshening' my face at a Nordstrom counter.

As per my normal, I turned my conversation with the

lovely Ukrainian girl toward matters of faith,

asking her if she prays. Listen to this answer: 'Oh yes, I pray,

and it really doesn't matter who gets my prayers,

I just feel better when I pray.' Wait, what?

-->>It absolutely matters to Whom you pray!

When I asked Robert why he did not pray, he shared a particular time, decades before, when he told God 'if you will save my tiny son, I will raise him to know you.' God did his part, but .... Robert looked over at me and said, 'I didn't really do that,''and he choked up,'how could I ask God for anything now?'

Perhaps that is you or someone close to you, but hear me please - God is merciful and he is kind. He does not walk around with a big stick, ready to whack you. I got to wipe a few errant tears from Robert's cheek while telling him God had long ago forgiven him.

There was so much more, but can you see what a sweet time it was, my friend? We talked of prayer, of faith, of doubts, of things he had let deter him, including hypocritical Christians - all stuff God gets, all stuff God can handle.

A fitting preamble to the last of James' fine letter: "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crop.2

I truly believe we-underestimate-the-power-of-the-prayer of Elijah, who asked God to shut down the false prophet Ba'al by demonstration.3 Elijah asked in faith, and God answered--first, with no rain, and then a downpour of RAIN! I wonder . . .for what have you failed to ask God? James said earlier, "You do not have, because you do not ask God."4

God wants to answer your prayers; he loves you.

Years ago, I had a friend who believed he could only count on 'X' number of prayers being answered, so he was careful how he used them. He used one of his precious prayers on me once . . . 'sweet . . . but kinda' messed up theology/thinking. You and I don't serve a God who keeps score . . . thank goodness! He does not have tally marks next to your name or mine, nor is he about to 'cut us off' from the supply line of his power.

Okay, maybe we will take one more day with James, as I want to stop here and emphasize that NOTHING underscore NOTHING should keep you from reaching out in prayer to the God who knows everything about you and loves you.

Yesterday morning I wrote out these verses, 13-18, in cursive writing...then circled the things for which James said we ought to pray. Quite valuable to see--no stone unturned.

That's because God is good . . . all the time.

Oh, and my friend who had the heart attack? The hospital encounter set us up for another heart visit sometime later. And well that visit was 'for all the marbles.' Yes, God is good . . . all the time. And all the time, God is good.

Listen: On My Knees, Nicole Mullen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGhJZ5dlgqg&list=RDMGhJZ5dlgqg&start_radio=1

Christine

James, no.26