Redeeming Power of Prayer

Last night my brother and I got into a silly argument, a tension that built as a result of a miscommunication. My brother and I have to share a car when he is home from school, and we both had to work really early. I told the lady who I nanny for that I would be over after I got off from my other job to spend the night so I would be there when she left in the morning for work. We had a floorset at Bath and Body Works and I was there until 1:30 am, so I told her that I would come in through the garage. When I got home from the floorset, my brother was in a dead slumber. Usually, he is still up at this time because he enjoys the quiet hours of the early morning when the rest of the world is sleeping. I had told my mom earlier that day that I needed my brother to take me the nanny's house because my brother too had to work the next morning. She forgot to give him the memo, and so when I got home he was not too happy to be awakened from his sleep. I felt really bad, especially because I know what is like to be summoned from beneath the warm blankets into the winter wonderland that is Ohio in the middle of the night. However, I explained that I had no choice because I told her that I would be there. He told me to leave and come back later, and I really did not understand what he when he wanted me to come back. I asked him what he meant by that, and he told me in a rather rough voice still scratchy from sleep, "Just go away."

I left and immediately went to my knees in prayer; prayer that my brother would forgive me for waking him in the middle of the night, prayer that I would be patient as I waited to see what he would say, prayer that God would give Him the strength to get up and take me to the place where I babysit, prayer that we would both not let anger and selfishness get in the way of being a servant unto one another.

About ten minutes later, I saw the lights go on downstairs. My brother was getting his shoes on and putting on his coat. By this time, it was nearing 2:00am. I came down the stairs and waited in silence as he finished getting ready to brave the freezing temperatures. He sat down on the couch and opened his Bible, beginning to read a few verses. I told him that I was sorry for the miscommunication and for not being as understanding as I could have been, considering that he was tired from being woken up. He apologized for the miscommunication and for allowing his frustration to get the better of him. I told him that I was not sure what he had been doing for those ten minutes, but that I had been praying for patience and forgiveness. He told me that he had also spent those ten minutes in prayer. We both started laughing at how amazing prayer really is. We talked for a few more minutes and then headed out the car. The entire ride over, we talked about how prayer really is so cleansing. Instead of dwelling on our own selfishness, we focused on the other' person's need. Those prayers led to an immediate change in attitude for both of us.

To those reading, it may not seem like such a big deal. But last night, I certainly learned a whole new aspect to the reedeming power of prayer, even at the late hour of 2:00am!

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