I saw a meme on social media the other day (pictured), and attended a webinar, each of which inspired me to share this with you. Read on.
As Christians, we are called to love one another as Christ loved us. Part of that love includes praying for one another. Praying for others is a powerful way to show our love and concern for them, and it can have a profound impact on their lives.
The Bible tells us to pray for one another, to bear each other’s burdens, and to encourage one another. When we pray for others, we are demonstrating our faith in God’s power to intervene in their lives. We are also aligning ourselves with God’s will for their lives, which is ultimately for their good.
Prayer is not just a one-way street. When we pray for others, we are also opening ourselves up to receive the blessings of prayer. We become more compassionate, more patient, and more loving as we focus our attention on the needs of others. We also become more aware of our own needs, and we can bring those needs before God in prayer as well.
Prayer is not just a private matter between ourselves and God. When we pray for others, we are also building community and strengthening relationships. We are showing our love and support for one another, and we are creating a network of support that can sustain us through difficult times.
So let us commit ourselves to praying for one another. Let us take the time to lift each other up in prayer, to encourage one another, and to bear each other’s burdens. Let us trust in God’s power to work in our lives and the lives of those around us. And let us rejoice in the blessings that come from a life of prayer and love for one another.
I hope this inspired you. It inspired me.
But I must provide full disclosure. This was an experiment. I did not write the piece. I asked ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence machine available widely online, the following: “Please write a one-page Christian devotional on the importance of praying for one another.” Within about sixty seconds, it produced what you read above in italics. (The webinar I attended was about how church leaders can make use of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT.)
Of course, you who know my writing style will have immediately picked up on the fact that this did not come from my hand. Nevertheless, while it may lack some of the colour I might normally include, there’s nothing inherently wrong with what it says.
Artificial intelligence is here to stay, I think. And we will have to wrestle with how best to use it as followers of Jesus. Undoubtedly, it will have some benefits for society, if used with integrity. But it will never replace the importance of such things as praying for each other through the gaps of life, as the meme illustrates. AI will never replace authentic, praying community. Who are you praying for these days?
“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6.2, NLT).
Passionately His 