Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. (Ephesians 6:17)

When we’re praying for one another there’s no room for judgement, pointing fingers, or defending differences. Praying levels the playing field. We’re all submitting to God’s sovereignty, in the presence of His love, at the feet of His mercies. Prayer is the proving ground when we choose to love people regardless of opposing views, opinions, or beliefs. How much time do we spend praying for others? We might be separated by a lot of things in a lot of ways, but prayer brings us together in heavenly places, as our whispers, voices, and even the silent pleas of our hearts are heard and held in high regard. Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16). When we pray we have the undivided attention of the almighty God, a privilege beyond our human comprehension. And when we speak the Word of God in prayer, we have the attention of angels who stand ready to act on those words. Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His Word, heeding the voice of His Word (Psalm 103:20). Praying is part of loving people—and loving people is second only to loving God.

(excerpt from IN THIS TOGETHER, 90 Devotions from the Book of Ephesians)