"Would You Pray for Me?" A Beautiful Story from the Streets of Melbourne

Prayer

I would like to tell you about a special encounter I had and the blessings that came through prayer.

There have been many occasions when complete strangers have come straight up to me while I am handing out books and asked me to pray for them. Sometimes I have met them before; other times I have never seen them, and they have never even taken any books from me. This can be quite confronting. I often wonder, "What should I pray about?" Yet what a privilege it is to be asked. It also makes me wonder how they knew I was someone they could approach.

About six weeks ago, a young man came straight up to my book table at Flinders Street Station. He had not been in Australia for very long and only had a backpack with him. He was homeless, but he was well presented. He had come to the city to look for somewhere to live and to find work.

He told me he had not seen his family for at least fifteen years. He had moved from country to country, then to Christmas Island, and had now arrived here. He already believed in God and was so happy to receive a Bible and a couple of books.

Before he left, I was able to tell him about some of our churches and other places where he might be able to get help. Then he asked me to pray for him. I asked his name and prayed that God would be with him, guide him, and help him in his search for accommodation, work, and the other challenges he was facing. After we prayed together, he went on his way.

About two hours later, this young man, whose name was Daniel, came back to thank me because our prayer had been answered. He had found somewhere to stay that night, had been given some food, and now wanted to help distribute food to others. He then went off to see if he could help people who were also in need.

About half an hour later, Daniel returned and asked if I would come and pray with three other homeless men he had just met and shared food with. My mind was racing: What do I do? What do I say? I've never met these men before. But how could I say no to someone who believed in the power of prayer and had asked me to pray? It was a real honour and a humbling experience.

I was by myself at the book table, but I could still see it from where the men were gathered, and we were in a very public place. I went over, met each of the men, spent some time talking with them individually, and then prayed with each one.

This experience was a tremendous blessing. It is wonderful to see how God can use us. Praise God!

I would like to encourage anyone who has struggled with prayer at some point. God doesn't need long, elaborate prayers. He simply wants something from the heart. It may be something very simple, but whatever we bring before Him, the Holy Spirit interprets for us. Rom 8:26-27.

Praying in public has never been something I have felt completely comfortable doing. Some people seem to pray so eloquently, and not all of us have that gift. I know people who have stopped going to Sabbath School—or even stopped attending church altogether—because they were asked to pray at a moment's notice. I also know people who have stopped praying in public because, after they finished praying, the person who asked them would continue praying for what seemed like half an hour, covering everything they thought had been left out. This can leave the impression that the first person's prayer was somehow inadequate or not good enough.

If you struggle with praying in public, I want you to know that you are not alone. I only began praying publicly because no one else wanted to, but the more you do something, the easier it becomes. Even now, I can still feel unsure about what I will say, and my public prayers are very simple. Yet it is amazing how God can use us to bring others into contact with Him.

Step forward in faith. God is preparing the way for us.

Christian regards

Hayley Phillips

Steps to Life Bible Worker