一位女士坐在牙醫診療椅時，顯得異常緊張，家庭的沉重負擔使她的情緒明顯不安。牙醫察覺她的焦慮，便向她瞭解情況。聽完她的講述之後，這位牙醫問道：「我可以為妳禱告嗎？」接著，口腔衛生師走了進來，她也為這位女士禱告。經過兩個人的代禱和完成牙科診療之後，這位女士在離開診所時，深刻感受到自己備受關懷。

為別人禱告是我們表達關懷的最佳方式之一。我們將他們交託給天父，求祂親自介入他們的生命，因這位天父是我們擁有的最寶貴資源。撒母耳記上12章記載，先知撒母耳面對一群焦慮不安的百姓（19節）。當時以色列百姓知道他們要求設立君王，在上帝眼中是極大的罪，害怕災禍會臨到他們身上。但撒母耳告訴他們：「不要懼怕！」（20節）並向他們保證上帝是良善的，他說：「至於我，我如果停止為你們禱告，就得罪耶和華了，我絕不會這樣做。」（23節，和合本修訂版）

上帝也同樣給我們為別人禱告的特權與呼召。我們可以默默地禱告，也可以開聲向上帝呼求。當我們為那些有需要的人向上帝求助時，便是榮耀上帝。

A woman was unusually nervous as she sat in the dentist’s chair. Family burdens troubled her greatly, and it was noticeable. Her dentist sensed her anxiety and asked her about it. Her story led him to ask, “Can I pray for you?” When the dental hygienist came into the room, she also prayed for the woman. Two prayers and one completed dentist’s visit later, the woman left the office knowing that she’d truly been cared for.

Praying for others is one of the best ways for us to show that we care because it calls on the greatest resource we know—our heavenly Father—to be actively involved in the lives of others. In 1 Samuel 12, the prophet Samuel was faced with the concerns of a very nervous group of people (v. 19). The Israelites had erroneously asked for a king, and they were afraid of how it was going to go for themselves. The prophet told them to “not be afraid” (v. 20) and assured them of God’s goodness as seen in these words: “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you” (v. 23).

We also have the privilege and calling to pray for others. Silently sometimes and out loud at other times, we honor God when we petition Him for assistance on behalf of others in need.