The Power of Short Prayers (Part Three)
“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18 (NKJV)
In July of 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon and spoke words the world will never forget. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. But tucked inside that moment was a quiet phrase most people never noticed. “Good night and good luck, Mr. Gorsky.” Years later, Armstrong explained why. As a boy, he overheard his neighbor’s wife say she would only show her husband affection when that Armstrong boy walked on the moon. Decades later, standing on the lunar surface, Neil remembered.
The point is simple and powerful. You never know who is walking across your yard. You never know the potential inside that child, that teenager, that broken adult. What looks ordinary now may carry extraordinary purpose later. That is why prayer matters so much. Prayer meets possibility before it ever becomes visible.
Scripture shows us this again and again. God interrupts His great plans for small prayers. Jesus was constantly on mission, moving with divine purpose. Yet He stopped for individuals who prayed short, passionate prayers. A woman with an issue of blood whispered, “If I may touch His garment, I shall be made whole” (Mark 5:28 KJV). That was enough. A blind man cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” (Luke 18:38 KJV). And Jesus stopped.
God does not overlook interruptions. He responds to them. He will pause what He is doing to meet someone who calls on Him by faith. That is why we are told to pray without ceasing. Pray for your children even when they look lost. Pray for your marriage even when it feels broken. Pray when your life feels stalled on the side of the road. Henry Ford once stopped to fix a broken car because he could not stand to see his creation sitting idle. In the same way, God will not pass you by when you are stuck and unsure how to move forward. He created you with purpose. When you pray, He comes near.
Even at Calvary, when Jesus was accomplishing the greatest work in history, a thief prayed a nine-word prayer. “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42 NKJV). And Jesus answered. That short prayer opened heaven. Do not give up on the people God has placed in your life. Do not judge them by what they look like right now. God sees possibility where we see problems. And He is simply waiting for someone to pray.
Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to see people the way You see them. Help us not to give up on what looks broken or unfinished. Teach us to pray with faith and persistence, believing that You respond to even the shortest prayer. We bring our children, our families, and our needs before You. Interrupt our situations with Your presence. Come from where You are to where we are. We trust You with every possibility. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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