The Prayer of a Righteous Man (Or Woman!) Availeth Much

CLOSE READING EXERCISE

Step One:  Please read the following passage from James 5:13-18:

Is anyone among you in trouble?

Let them pray.

Is anyone happy?

Let them sing songs of praise.

Is anyone among you sick?

Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.

If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Elijah was a human being, even as we are.

He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Step Two:  Please read it again, but this time do so V E R Y slowly.  I suggest aiming for a reading speed of no more than one word/second.  (Note:  There are 145 words in the passage above.  At a speed of one word/second, it should take about 145 seconds [or 2 minutes and 25 seconds] to read the passage).

Step Three:  Please read it again S L O W L Y...one more time.  :o) 

Tomorrow, I’m going to supply a few more scriptural close reading exercises, and then, in the days that follow, what I'd like to do is start dropping a whole bunch of “why prayer may be effectual” dots down on the table.  As I drop the dots, what I want to do is just let them sit there for a while, give them a LONG look see, add some, take away some, and maybe shuffle things around a bit.  In time, a few connections and, perhaps even, some conclusions may arise from the exercise.  BTW…in case you might be wondering, when I write “perhaps,” what I’m really writing is this:  “DEFINITELY maybe.”  Such phrasing reminds me a little of white noise, soft nails, sweet onions, honest politicians, and DMV civil service workers. 

Anyway…

Until next time, go talk with God, find someone to love, and then love that person as though your very life depended upon it.

(Because it really does.)

Good hunting, y’all…

Dave

P.S.  I can hardly wait to drop the dots!  Peace-out, everyone…