There was that time in my life where I sought to find the shortest verses in the Bible to memorize. I became an expert and somewhat of a scholar because the West Huntsville congregation, where I grew up, had a class for all young people every Sunday afternoon before our evening service. We began every class with every person quoting a memory verse. I was the youngest member of that class. Since you could not quote a verse someone else had quoted I was constantly on the lookout for those short verses. I may be the only person on earth who knows where the Bible says, “There was great joy in that city.” At least I was the only person at West Huntsville who knew it! I still remember most of the other short verses!
Over the years one of those verses has taken on a special meaning for me. Paul said, “Brethren, pray for us” (1 Thess. 5:25). At one time I may have seen no value in it, other than that I would be the “champion of short verses,” but all that has changed. As an older Christian I have a deep appreciation for the importance of having others pray for you.
I was reminded of this last week when I phoned Henry Dawson to express my sympathy to him at the passing of his wife, Louise. Henry was an elder at Shades Mountain where I preached for the seven years before moving to Florida. Henry, Louise and I spent thousands of hours writing the Engraving Heavenly Truths Bible flashcard literature. How I treasure those truths we learned together.
Near the end of our conversation Henry said, “Dan, I want you to know that I have prayed for you every day for the last forty years.” As I think about all that has happened over those forty years, I know emphatically that if I have made any difference it is because of the “effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man” named Henry.
He is not the only one who has told me that they are praying for me. There are several at Palm Beach Lakes who have told me they pray for me, and my life is blessed because of them. The same is true of people I have met in the past who have gone on to their reward. Oh, what a debt I owe to people like Willette, Evelyn, Ruby, Ludell and a host of others who have made a difference in my life because they talked to God about me.
At one time it was nothing more than a short memory verse. Now I see it as the avenue of greater doors of service and strength to accomplish more. I understand Paul’s request to those Christians in Thessalonica. I make the same request of all who read this bulletin, “Brethren, pray for me.”