#39 – Prayer holds the key to heaven but… – May 8, 2025
1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us”.
Prayer. Many times we take that privilege for granted. Sometimes it’s words spoken and soon forgotten. We’re not really in the spirit when we speak. Often times we think about things we should pray about but…we think they’re too silly or not meaningful enough that out Lord should waste His time on.
There is a beautiful song entitled “Prayer holds the key to heaven, but Faith unlocks the door”. So I wonder…do our prayers unlock the door or are they just words spoken to appease ourselves. If we don’t have faith in our prayers, then we might still be holding the key that will get them through. Prayer and faith are strong bonds that work together.
I heard a story about an area that was in a terrible drought. It seems as though this certain area had gone many weeks without rain. Crops were suffering and wells were drying up. One of the local churches decided to hold a prayer meeting for the sole intent of praying for rain. All agreed and on a Wednesday night the entire congregation showed up…even this 10 year old boy. Out of all that attended, this little boy was the only one that brought an umbrella. He not only was there to pray for rain but his faith was strong enough to expect it before the service was even over. When we pray…how strong is our faith that it will be granted?
I’ve been listening to a Pastor by the name of J. John. He usually begins his sermons with a story but it’s designed to have a spiritual meaning that will stay with you and make you think.
One of his sermons begins with a story about a Pastor that gave his son a kitten. The boy was so happy and he took full responsibility for its care. One day the boy took the kitten outside to let him run around in the yard for some exercise.
Unfortunately the kitten climbed up a tree and out on to a branch. They tried coaxing the kitten but when the kitten tried to come down it got stuck on another small branch and wasn’t big enough to climb back up. They tried to get him down but he was too high up and they were afraid he would fall and get hurt. But…the dad had an idea. He backed his car close to the tree, took a rope, threw the rope over the branch, and tied it to his car. He told his son that he would slowly move the car forward and when the branch got low enough he could reach up and rescue the kitten.
The car slowly moved forward. The branch slowly began to come down. The car continued to move forward. The branch continued to come down. Just as it was almost within reach where the boy could grab the kitten…the rope broke. WHOOOSH!!! The branch flew upward and the kitten went flying into the unknown.
The son and father looked for several days for the kitten but their attempt to find the kitten failed.
Two weeks later the Pastor went to visit one of the members of the church. He knocked and she graciously asked him in for a cup of tea. As he walked inside…there was his kitten! Not to be rude, he simply said, “Oh, what a pretty kitten you have”.
The woman began, “Two weeks ago (you’ve probably already figured out where this story is going) I was out working in my garden. My son had been bothering me for weeks that he wanted a kitten. He came out to the garden and asked me again if he could have a kitten and, as usual, I told him no. But he continued saying how he’d take care of it, love it, and take responsibility for any messes it might make. I was so frustrated with his asking so I told him, ‘I’ll tell you what we’ll do…we’ll kneel down right here in the garden, pray to God, and if God wants you to have a kitten, He’ll see to it that it happens’. Pastor you’re not going to believe this but as we were praying, right in front of us, from heaven itself, lands this kitten.”
The Pastor listened intently and then replied, “Well, just don’t let it climb any trees”.
Last year, one Sunday morning as I was getting ready for church, my cat Heidi began having seizures. Heidi never gets sick. It scared me so bad and I was crying because I didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t even hold her head up straight and couldn’t walk without falling over. I told George that I would go to church just long enough to play the piano but I would leave right after and come home to watch over her.
During the break in the songs our Pastor asks for any prayer requests. I hesitated but then, through tears, I said, “I don’t know if this is appropriate but…” and I told them about Heidi and explained what was happening. I asked for prayer for my 4-legged friend. And we did.
After I arrived back home I called our vet, Dr. Sebastian at Crossroads Veterinary, and explained the situation. Even though it was a Sunday, he graciously agreed to see her in the afternoon. Prayers answered. Within a couple days, Heidi was her old self and hasn’t had an episode since.
I recently asked for prayers for my son-in-laws dog, Max. Max is very large and playful Weimaraner. Max started acting sluggish and not as playful as usual so they decided to take him to the vet. Unfortunately, Max had to have surgery because his spleen had moved up to his heart causing massive fluid build-up. The surgery was to successfully move the spleen back in its place and remove the excess of fluid. The Sunday after his surgery I asked for prayer for him also. And we did. He’s getting better every day and pretty soon he’ll be running around, with his big floppy ears, aggravating his mom and dad.
We all love our 4-legged friends, whether canine or feline. We want the best for them and since they are part of God’s creation, they need our prayers also.
You see, our prayers should never be specific to our family, friends, spiritual family, to those we don’t know or ever met, but to anyone or any creature that needs help. If I hear the fire sirens go off, I immediately pray that no one is hurt. If I see someone on Facebook asking for prayers, for whatever reason, I immediately say a prayer as they requested.
Talking to God in our prayers is never a waste of time. It’s a connection that is more precious than anything we can experience here on earth. But we have to remember one thing and that is…it may not be God’s will. No matter which way it goes, it has to be His decision. We have to have faith that He is the Master of all that happens and the Master of all that can be done. If it seems to go bad for us, it might just be best for us in the long run…in His wisdom and in His time. Remember that.
When we pray we need to be specific, honest, and direct. If you have trouble getting the correct words out, don’t worry about it. He knows. He always knows and he knows what is truly in your heart. Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
And don’t forget…Prayer may be the key to heaven but without Faith…the door may not fully open.
Nancy Stoppe
(Jenner Township Baptist Church, Boswell, PA 15531)
Blog – inspirationalinsights6.com
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