praying for others

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during the Last Supper, Jesus turned and said, "...Simon, SImon... i have prayed for thee" (Luke 22:31,32). and again and again we have followed our Lord's example. one day i was visiting a dear mother upon whom the years were now resting heavily. not only was she old and feeble; her body for several years had been burdened with great pain. she turned to me and asked, "why do you suppose God is keeping me here?" i didn't know and so i made no reply. then she began telling me abour her son. he had missed the way and was living a life that was wrong. as she told me about him, i thought of the words of th poem, "i know whose love would follow me still, mother o' mine." in spite of her disappointment in him and the fact that he had repeatedly broken her heart, she still held on to to him. finally she answered her own question: "GOD is keeping me here to pray for my son."many times we feel so helpless- that loved one is beyond our reach, someone is desperately sick, some situation seems hopeless- BUT WE CAN ALWAYS PRAY. not only is prayer for others our privelege, it is our SOLEMN DUTY. the prophet Samuel said, "...God forbid that i should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you..." (1 Samuel 12:23). the Christian prays for loved ones. also, the Christians pray for those who are hard to love. JESUS commands, " ....pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44)...