By James K. (Ken) Carroll
Your Email inbox provides a wonderful tool to assist your prayer ministry. The sort function allows you to compose an impromptu but very effective prayer list. This list can be discarded after your prayer session and reassembled the next time you sit down to the computer. I alternate my prayer times between the Grace Chapel prayer list and the personal contacts in my inbox.
Most Email systems have some type of "sort" function. For instance, mine does not have the word "sort" in it, but if I pick the word "from" at the top of my email list, it will sort my incoming Emails into groups. All of Bill's Emails will be in one block, likewise the Emails from Grace Chapel. If I then pick "date" at the top of the list, it will again sort but this time by the date received. Most lists are arranged by date unless we decide to sort differently.
The first thing to do is highlight the latest prayer request email from Grace. Then pick "from" at the top of the list to group all the Grace communications in one group. As time permits, go thru the prayer requests on the latest email, then to the next most recent email and so on. If there is only 10 minutes available, the latest prayer requests will be covered and someone will benefit. Every so often, make an effort to go back at least a month because there are some long standing needs that do not get repeated often.
On alternating days (or sessions) I like to concentrate on personal contacts. Many prayer needs surface in my incoming mail and I may be the only one who is in a position to intercede for them. I usually only need to see a name to remember the critical items that have come up via their precious emails. Altho I usually move my incoming mail into folders, I keep one in the inbox so they will have a place on my prayer list
The result of this: Instead of feeling isolated from the fellowship during the week, you meet at the Throne of Grace. When you ask about brother Joe's health problem the following Sunday, he will know that he has been a target of someone's prayers. Every church needs this kind of connectivity. If you are not on the prayer list, call the church office. There's room. Another result: ministry all over the country (and world) to and for your correspondents. People I have not seen for over 40 years know my testimony and although I do not know of anyone coming to Christ yet, there have been many positive responses.
One word of caution. Don't let this be your total prayer life. Your spouse probably does not send you emails, but he or she needs your prayers along with others who are not on-line. Likewise, this is no substitute for our daily time in God's Word. But it does provide us with a tool to more effectively cover the needs of those in our fellowship.
Finally, God listens. He cares. He answers.
