Holy Father God,

What a privilege You have given us, to pray for others. We understand that we come before Your throne as priests in the royal priesthood, but it’s hard to see ourselves that way. We’re just your children, who care very much about those we love, and we want our prayers to be used in their lives for your kingdom and your glory.

Help us to be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit, when He prompts us to pray. Help us to realize that every chance meeting with someone, every fleeting thought may be our opportunity to make an eternal difference in someone’s life.

Help us not to feel inadequate when it comes to prayer, but to understand it is not the words we speak, but the prayer of our heart that You hear, and that itself is an inspiration from You.

Lord, help us to recognize prayerlessness as sin in our lives, which can become a stronghold. Don’t let us be convinced that we can’t get up early to pray, or stay up late--or that because we’re busy serving You it doesn’t matter. Help us to see our prayer lives from Your point of view, and if we are guilty of prayerlessness, forgive us. Help us to seek Your strength that we might become people of prayer that You can count on.