Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijiah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.

James 5:13-18

When was the last time your knees hurt from praying? Although it is true that people pray all the time without kneeling, the question is a convicting one. Whether we are on our knees, standing up or seated, how often do we use prayer to support ourselves? We can find help from many sources, friends, counselors, and books, but there is nothing better than the support and strength we get from God when we pray.

Prayer does not require eloquence but earnestness.

Our Daily Bread - December 6, 2004